Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ȝarne, Yarn(e, Ȝairn(e, Yairn(e, n. Also: yharne, yerne, ȝearne, yearn(e, yirn, ȝairin, yerin, -on, (ȝardin). [ME and e.m.E. yarn (c1325), ȝern (1376), yern (1391), yearne (Shakespeare), OE ᵹearn.]

1. Yarn, a continuous strand made from spun fibres. Also pl., quantities or types of yarn.For further examples see Hesp n. 2, Slip n.³ b, Spindil(l n. 2.(a) c1420 Wynt. v 5050.
To gywe hyr wemen tow to spyn And yharne sponnyn to tak in [C. ȝarne wonnynge to brynge in, W. ȝarne sa sponyng to gif in] c1456 Edinb. B. Rec. MS (Reg. H.) 2.
Helene Neilsone … bocht fra Marion Moreson 3 stain ȝarne 1478 Acta Aud. 67/1.
A stain of lint spunnyn in ȝarne 1549–50 Treas. Acc. IX 374.
xxvj stanis of ȝarne to be lunt(b) 1534–5 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 147.
Yairne 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 293.
Caddes spun in yairne the pound xv s. 1640 Bk. Pasquils 105.
They durst not byde into ther toune To feast the Couenanters They left ther children and ther wyffes, To reed thare reuelit ȝairne 1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
We took a threid of each cullor of yairne that wes in the … litt-fatt … and did put the thriedis in the fatt 1694 Argaty Baron Ct. 7 Dec.
[The baillie] ordaines ilk tennent and cottar who are lyable in peyment of yairne yeirlie be the rentall to pay eighteine schilling Scotts for each spynle thairof(c) 1501 Acta Conc. III (1993) 22.
Yerne(d) 1557–8 Inverness Rec. I 19.
The said yarne nocht beand littit as the said Johne promist 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1694) 70.
You that are wives ye will be saying ordinarily when ye meet, Cummer, have ye spun your yarn yet?(e) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iii 562.
Telas, ȝearne 1569–70 Inverness Rec. I 183.
Yearne 1586 Perth B. Ct. 15 June.
The ȝearne of the plaid hewit The ȝearne of ane vther plaid onsortit 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 26 May.
Askit gif scho cureit Robert Sowtare … scho anserit that scho did put him throw ane hesp of ȝearne quhilk thairefter scho cuttit in ix peiceis and ȝeirdit in thrie lordis landis 1636 Dundee B. Laws 517.
To carie … yearne to be wrought, made, or dressit be ony braboneris … duelling within the Rottonraw(f) c1605 Inverurie B. Ct.
Ȝairin 1697 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 168.
For 5 hesps mor yerin to the holland at 1 li. 10 the spinill 1703 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 171.
For a slip yeron 6 s.pl. 1557–8 Inverness Rec. I 19.
The said Johne littit nocht certain yarnis of the said Jasper of the hewis he condescenit to lyt the same of, sic as red and yallow 1568–9 Inverness Rec. I 174.
Dettour to him for certan yearnis littit to Mr. Alexander McKenze 1596 Dunferm. Weavers 74.
That none of the brethren of the craft … pas to any house within this town, or to landward, for buying of any yearns

b. With qualifying terms denoting the colour, material, dimensions, purpose or place of origin of the yarn.See also Linin adj. 1 a, Plaiding n. b (1).(1) 1572–3 Elgin Rec. I 136.
Thre pundis vecht of grein ȝairn(2) 1576 Edinb. Test. IV 277b.
Tua stane & ane half stane of blancat ȝarne 1584 Elgin Rec. I 175.
Thre clowis of cotting ȝairne 1586 St. A. Test. II 56b.
Thre quarteris of pladein ȝairn mixt with hair and woll price of thame baith iiij lib. 1586 St. A. Test. II 66.
Ane stane of hodding gray ȝairn 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV 263.
Of lynning ȝarne in clewis estimatit to xx merkis 1595 Brechin Test. I 128.
vij spyndle of lyneing ȝardin 1661 Rothesay B. Rec. 67.
Sex heir of lint yearne 1674 Peebles B. Rec. II 88.
[That] all woollen yairne that shall … be presented to be sold in any mercate or faire … be reilled in hankes(3) 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. 174.
xxvj cutts of greit ȝarne 1616 Conv. Burghs III 28.
That the lenth of the reill betuix heid and heid sall be halfe elne half quarter long, making the haill hesp to be fyve quarter long of doubell yairne 1623 Inverness Rec. II 162.
Four clewis of littil ȝairn 1701 Dundee B. Laws 537.
That small and round yearne be not mixed in one hespe(4) 1646 Edinb. Test. LXI 270b.
vij staines of theiking threid ȝairne 1657 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 1039.
For nett ȝairne and tobacco 1661 Acts VII 254/1.
Cable yearne(5) 1661 Acts VII 254/1.
Spruce or muscovea yearn

c. To spede (one's) yarn, ? to complete a task successfully. a1500 Sir Eger 1830.
She … asked at him how he had farn? ‘Well’, he did say, ‘and sped my yarn’

d. Lyne ȝarne, see Line n.² 1 d.

e. comb.See also Wyndill n. 1513 Doug. ix viii 36.
The spynnyng quheil smate sche, The ȝarn clewis, spyndill and broche … All swakkit our 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. III 4.
For breaking of ane paire of yearne wells 1667 Edinb. Test. LXXIII 107.
Ane wooll quheill and ane chak wheill with ȝearne winders

2. A strand of yarn, a thread. Also in fig. context. 1629 Dalyell Darker Superst. 106.
At his cuming first over the dur quhair the … inchantit yairn wes laid … scho convalescit and he deceissit a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 15.
Stamen, the yearn 1658 R. Moray Lett. 78.
I must let myself spin out my letters as long as there is a yirn of tow in my rock