Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ern(e, n.¹ Also: herne, eyrn(e, eirn-, airne. [ME. ern, earn, œrn, OE. earn.] An eagle.The place-name Ernysclucht is recorded c 1350.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xiii. 76.
Sanct Ionne in portratoure Of ane erne has the fygure, For that the erne maste hey fleis c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 442.
One herne … Ryght sodenynly descendet thar c1420 Wynt. i. 670.
Weyngys als thai hawe, … As yhe se ernys hawand here 1456 Hay I. 41/25.
He met vij grete foulis lyke ernis callit voultouris 1457 Acts II. 51/2.
Foulys of reif as ernys, bussardis, gleddis, and myttallis, the quhilkis distroyis … cornis 1513 Doug. xi. xiv. 72.
Evir the farar this ern strenys hys gryp Ib. xii. v. 63.
Jovis fowle, the ern, com sorand by 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xlii.
Of fowlis, sic as leiffis of reif, ar sindry kindis in Scotland, as ernis, falconis [etc.](b) a1400 Leg. S. v. 495.
Thocht the eyrne flie heyeste. And the sone seis clerlyaste 1549 Compl. 60/23.
The thrid thyng is the eyrn, that fleis sa hie (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. xxxv. 23.
Quhill than ane abbot him cleythe in eirnis pennys 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 125.
The eirnis and the corbeis continewalie sleais and destroyis the haile lambes(c) 1587 Treas. Acc. 68.
To tua men that brocht ane airne, ane ram, and ane foule to his hienes 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. xx.
The airne and the goshalk 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 125.
The haile houshaldis … to follow and. slea the saidis airnis and corbeis