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.

Fairnes, Far(e)nes, n. Also: fayrnes, fairenes(se. [ME. fairnes(se, farenes, etc., OE. fæᵹernys.]

1. Beauty, esp. of person. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 52.
He … had a wyfe … perles of farnes 1456 Hay II. 128/15.
Treis than schawis … thair naturale flouris and fairnes 1490 Irland Mir. I. 154/6.
Vthire ladeis be thare farenes … suagis the crabitnes of men a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1459.
All falȝeand fairenes is bot deformite c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 299.
Bot we no fallowis war in … fayrnes of persoun 1560 Rolland Seven S. 549.
Ane mayd of all fairnes the flour a1578 Pitsc. I. 354/19.
The empreouris sister douchtaris, quhilk war plessant … and guide lyk in bewtie and fairnes

2. Fair words or acts. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 121.
I rede ȝe mak furth ane man, … That will with fairnes fraist frendschip to fynd a1578 Pitsc. I. 94/18.
The king, sieing that he could nocht speid with fairnes, … tuik ane heigh anger 1596 Dalr. I. 150/11.
Nathir [were they] evir subduet … be fairnes ather be foulnes