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.

Flane, n. Also: flan, flain(e, flayn(e, flen. [Southern ME. flone, early flan, OE. flán.] An arrow.(a) a1500 Henr. Fab. 757.
Ane bow he bent, ane flane with fedderis gray He haillit to the heid c1500 Crying of Play 139.
Addres ȝow furth with bow & flane c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 178.
A clud of flanes like hail-schot lowsit they 1513 Doug. vii. viii. 50; etc.
The flane flaw fast with a spang fra the stryng 1535 Stewart 10354, etc.
The bowmen big sterit thair stringis weill With mony flane with scharpe heidis of steill c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 176.
Ane bludie hart Thirlit … With ane flane, quhilk was baith braid & squair c1590 J. Stewart 12/4.
Venus sone … Schot at this Roland … Ane feddrit flan(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 188.
Fair Callyng that wele a flayn coud schute 1513 Doug. x. x. 94.
The Troian barroun … at hys fa leyt fle a dart or flayn 1535 Stewart 7163.
The flainnis flew lyke fyre out of the flynt 1567 Sat. P. iii. 32.
Ane flaine [he could] lat fle with bow in tyme of neid 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 22.
Then cleverly my flen soone can I feather