Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

NUNE, n.¹ Also nun (Jak.), nin; ‡neen (n.Sc.). Sc. forms of Eng. noon. See also Efternuin, Forenuin. Sh. usage: late afternoon, towards sunset in the winter months (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). [nøn, nyn, nɪn; n.Sc. nin]m.Lth. 1922 “Restalrig” Sheep's Heid 42:
Her heid's oot o' the windy mornin', nin, an' nicht.Sc. 1935 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 3) XIII. 47:
Bit wirk an' yoke at yon toune, Baith neen an' nicht's th' cry.

Comb.: †noon(ing)-piece, a carried mid-day meal, a snack carried to eat when hungry (Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MS.). See Piece. Also in reduced form noony, id. Cf. Nimmet.Sc. 1829 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 215:
Breakfast, noony, denner, four-hours, and sooper, a' in ane.Per. 1879 P. R. Drummond Bygone Days 201:
I have pitten some bread and cheese in the box o' the gig for ye're noon-piece.Gall. 1898 Crockett Standard Bearer xxii.:
She gave him her nooning-piece of bread to stay his hunger.