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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.

Grain(e, Grane, n.² Also: grayn(e. [ME. (chiefly northern) grayn(e, greyn(e, gran (a 1300), ON. grein, branch, division.]

1. A branch or bough of a tree; a stalk of a plant. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 26.
Muskane treis … , all waist, widderit, with granis moutit Id. Æn. iv. viii. 73.
The swouchand byr quhisland amang the granys, So that the hyast branchys … Thar croppis bowis Ib. ix. vii. 152.
As the chesbo hedis … Bow down thar knoppis, sowpit on thar grane Ib. x. xiv. 6.
Apon a grayn or branch of a grene tre c1590 J. Stewart 80/23.
The gowldin graine, Quhilk did Eneas to his journay bring Ib. 84/174.
The viwe handwriting … Ingrauit thair on monie growand graine 1609 Dundonald Par. Rec. 192.
Jonat Fultoun and Thomas Rodman … brocht hame grane [sic] of asche treis Ib. 193.
Grainis of asche treis

2. One of the prongs of a fork or trident. 1513 Doug. i. iii. 75 comm.
The thre granyt ceptour … lyk a crepar or a graip wyth thre granys Ib. ii. x. 90.
Neptune … With his gret mattok havand granys thre 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Furche.
Like as ane fork hes twa graines, this precept hes an alternative command of twa parts 1675 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV. 466.
He, being armed with a great pitch fork of tuo iron graines of ane extraordinary lenth

3. An offshoot, branch, or member of anything; an arm (of a cross). 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 65.
Thocht thir personys [of the Trinity] be seuerall in thre granys 1567 Treas. Acc. MS. (1567–9) 57.
xij silkin buttonis of thre granis lang talit 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 136.
On the uthir syde ane croce and betuix the granis thairof tua thirsillis and tua crounis 1596 Dalr. II. 418/23.
Afor he cuttit of had & snedit al the branches and graines of his superstitione 1671 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 202.
In the right ventricle of his heart was found a great quantity of fatt matter, … with two grains going from it

b. A branch of a family or surname. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 27.
The rest of the successioun of the hous of Parbroth and the granis collaterall of the samin 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 62.
The branche liand for the branche or the grayne of him that chargeis sic presonaris 1572 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ix. 23.
The said Johnne Johnnestone … , his freindis and servandis to be under sicker assurans with the said Johnne Ellot and all his grane and branche 1596 Dalr. II. 23/27.]
[Lyk a birthfull trie [they] spred thair granes and branches throuch all Scotland

4. A branch (of a stream); an arm (of a loch). 1456 Exch. R. VI. 224.
[De ix li. de Blakgrane Ib.]
De Fauhopschele et Fauhopgranys 1508 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 127.
Quhile the gait come to the southmost grane of the heid of the moss 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 238.
Touyr is kend a grayn of that ryner, In Latyn hecht Danubium or Hyster 1533 Bell. Livy II. 168/16.
That thow lat it [the water] nocht ryn to the se, devide it first with small granis and burnys 1585 Reg. Privy C. IV. 17.
Loch Lung, Lochgoile, and certane uthiris lochis, caulis, brais, schoris and granis thairof 1607 Ib. VII. 568.
Not to slay salmon fish in the … Die and Don or granes thereof 1686 Fraser P. 159.
The burne of Gany … runes with tuo graynes