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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡LAWIN, n. Also lawe(e)n; lawven, lavin (Mry.). See P.L.D. § 137. [′lǫ:ən, ′lɑ:ən]

1. A bill for food and drink supplied in a public-house, a tavern-bill, a reckoning (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Lth., Ayr. 1960); a contribution made for the refreshments supplied at a penny-wedding. Also attrib.Sc. 1703 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 326:
For my oune and doughter cairnies lawing to Wm denhames 2 servants wedding … £1. 9. 0.Sc. 1717 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 19:
She ne'er gae in a Lawin fause, Nor Stoups a Froath aboon the Hause.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 498:
The Fallows keen, Drank till the niest day's dawing, Sae snell that some tint baith their een, And coudna pay their lawing.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 208:
Weel does he lo'e the lawen coin Whan dossied down, For whisky gills or dribbs of wine.Ayr. 1790 Burns Guidwife Chorus:
Then, guidwife, count the lawin, And bring a coggie mair!Sc. 1803 Scott Minstrelsy III. 75:
Late at e'en, drinking the wine, And ere they paid the lawing.Bch. 1809 Sc. N. & Q. (Nov. 1928) 211:
We had a ball at Theodore Wilson's … My lawing was 5s. 6d.Ags. 1818 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 413:
The master of the household now collects the [wedding] dinner lawin, commonly one shilling, from each.Mry. 1887 A. G. Wilken Peter Laing 32:
Aifter we got the first roon oot o' the tub some o' the heids o' the mairriage gaed roon and colleckit the lawin'. … the first lawin' I had cost us fae 5s. to 7s. the heid. Aifter we had drunken fusky a gweed file throu' the evenin', they cam' roon and gaithered up anither ane, an' I've seen them gaither up three.Abd. 1909 J. Tennant Jeannie Jaffray vi.:
Lat's in and order some meat and drink, and I'll pay the lawin'.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 13:
A paid ma laween … an than A lifteet the sneck an gaed oot again ti the Mercat Cross.

Combs.: (1) chapman lawin, drink for drink, in treating others; (2) Galashiels lawin, see quot.; (3) lawin free, free of charge, without payment (of one's due share); (4) lawin house, a tavern.(1) Mry. 1820 J. Cock Hamespun Lays 103:
Yet chapman lawin's ay my aim, Fare'er I chance to drink.(2) s.Sc. 1827 R. Chambers Picture Scot. I. 74. Note:
“A Galashiels lawin'” is applied, when every individual pays his share, probably in allusion to the mechanical accuracy of the worthy manufacturers.(3) Sc. 1740 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) II. 237:
She took me in, and set me down, And heght to keep me lawing-free.Sc. 1794 J. Grahame Poems 103:
I'm no for letting ye, ye see, (As I ware rich) gang lawin free.(4) Abd. 1897 Banffshire Jnl. (3 Feb.) 6:
There were lawin houses where whisky was supplied, each person paying for what he ordered.

2. Fig. Retribution, requital, the consequences, one's account in judgment.Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 27:
These ten lang years, wi' blood o' freins The chiel has pay't his lawin.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 120:
Ere we pay life's hindmaist lawin', Let us bygane days review.Sc. 1908 Glasgow Ballad Club III. 69:
Come, draw your swird, ye cruel wight, And lawin gie to me.Sc. 1923 A. Lang Poet. Wks. I. 55:
There's an ending o' the dance, and fair Morag's safe in France, And the Clans they hae paid the lawing.