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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LOZEN, n., v. Also lozzen, losen, loasin, lossin, loosen. Dim. lozenie. [lo:zn]

I. n. 1. A diamond-shaped figure, facet, or pattern. Also attrib. Adv. lozen-way, in the figure of a diamond or rhomb.Edb. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fife (1803) 329:
Here is a quarrie of free-stone, which hath yolks curiously figured: one I did see, a cylinder with lozens all over it.Sc. 1712 Sc. Courant (15–20 May):
There was lost upon the 2nd instant, in Edinburgh or within a Mile Westward, an Emerald Ring, with 12 Diamonds set lozen-way.Sc. 1773 Caled. Mercury (31 March):
Two Table Napkins, and a coloured apron, large lozen Windsor and proper hall-chairs.

2. A pane of glass, orig. diamond-shaped but now applied to any pane (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 153; n.Sc., Ags., Fif., Edb., wm.Sc. 1961). Hence lozenless, having no glass in the windows. Comb. ¶lozenbole, window opening (Sc.(E) 1858 H. S. Riddell Song of Songs ii. 9).Gsw. 1719 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 60:
One thowsand and twelve lozens fine glass, at four shilling six pennies the losen.Abd. 1742 Powis Papers (S.C.) 285:
To 1 Sash Losen in back Window and a Litle Losen in the Garret.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 38:
Mirk athort the winnock neuks, Maist dark'ning up the lozens.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xv.:
Kenning weel that there was a broken lozen, I edged back the shutter naturally to see what was gaun on within.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter i.:
Who taught me to . . . pin a losen, head a bicker, and hold the bannets?Sc. 1874 W. Allan Hame-spun Lilts 217:
The win' thro' the lozenless winnock was blawin'.Inv. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Evidence I. 24:
There is a small window of four “lozens” in the wall, and another small window in the roof.Arg. 1898 N. Munro J. Splendid xiv., xxi.:
The place lay tenantless and melancholy . . . the windows lozenless. By the grace of God I can see to one's innermost as through a lozen. I shudder, sometimes, at the gift.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 240:
Da sun wis noo come in trow wir ben lozen.Ags. 1931 Barrie Farewell Miss J. Logan 5:
All who come to look at it count its little lozens, as we call the panes, which are to the number of two hundred and sixteen.

‡3. A lens of a pair of spectacles (Ags. 1961).Sc. 1834 M. Scott Cruise of Midge xi.:
Such a bash on the nose that baith the lozens were dang out of his barnacles.

II. v. To make or impose a diamond pattern upon, to criss-cross; to provide a window with glass-panes; to make a ball for a child by winding yarn very tightly and darning it to hold it together in a sort of diamond-pattern (Mry. 1975). Chiefly in ppl.adj. lozent, -ed (Mry., Ags. 1961).Sc. 1749 R. Forbes Journals (Craven 1886) 306:
In the uppermost Storie is a circular Window, lozened by Arches of polished Stone meeting in the Centre.Sc. 1809 Farmer's Mag. (Aug.) 287:
Small well-twisted ropes of tough oat straw should be used to lace down the cover; and these being applied in the lozening or damboard fashion, will secure the cover under the severest tempests.Slg. 1898 W. Drysdale Old Faces 40:
We do not think there is a boy nowadays who could “lead a button” or “lozen a ball”.Lnk. 1925 G. Blake Wild Men 73:
Small, lozened windows.Abd. 1951 Buchan Observer (10 April):
Various attempts have from time to time been tried to procure a thick and a more even braird through first sowing up and down the rigs, and then across so as to reduce the vacant spaces, using half the quantity of seed in each way. This as one old farmer was wont to observe, was to make a “lazent [sic] shauve.”Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (11 Jan.):
Richt weel I can see her aul' hoosie at this meenit, wi' its lozent windickies.Bnff. 1964 Banffshire Adv. (2 Jan.) 6: 
Wi' some odds an' en's o' wisset, We wid lozen baas sometimes.