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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.

Esing, Eising, Easing, n. Also: eysin, eisin, easin. [Northern ME. esynge (a 1400), e.m.E. easing(e, reduced form of ME. evesyng, early evesung, OE. efesung.]

1. The eaves of a house. 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 29.
To byg ane closet apon the baksyd of his hous … , with four fut utwyth hys eisin thairupon 1562 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 369.
For … redding of the ground to the esings of the Eister milne 1563–4 Ib. II. 194.
To resist the dynt of the wind that draife bak the watter under the eisingis of the sklattis 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 582.
Twa daillis to be … flankour buirdis abowe the eising off the scoole 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 431.
[They set the same on fire, and] pat thame in dyvers pairtis of the easingis of the said hous 1639 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 487.
Cant windowes, toppe gutters, and easings 1652 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 82.
For braiking of Johnne Levie his hous at the eissing thairof with ane gryt knyf 1675 Stirling Comm. Good 93.
Ane burdine of thorns to putt in the easingis [of the brew house]

2. a. Esing buird, an eaves board. 1564–5 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 204.
For tua dailles to be eising buirds under the sklaittis 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 582.
Thre daillis to be eising buirdis to the sclaitteris

b. Esing drop = Ese-drop. 1562 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 179.
That the said Johne … have his esing drope fre conforme to the vse & lovable custume of burrowis 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 287.
To sett vp ane traveis … swa that he pas nocht … bewest the eising drop of his said smiddy 1589 Ib. V. 3.
Kepand … the gutter and rowme of the easindrop thairof als far as it is presently 1595 Ib. 138.
Gif he bigs ane chop within the samyn [stair] that he cum nocht without his eysin drop 1654 Lanark B. Rec. 154.
The samin wes buildit all without the eising drop of the said James Craufuird his back wall 1664 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 36.
To sklait the easing dropp in the foir front