Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hevines, Hevynes, n. Also: hevinesse, hevenes; hewynes, hewenes; heavines, heavynes. [ME. hevy-, hevines(se hevenes, -nis, OE. hefiᵹnes. Cf. Havines n.] Heaviness, esp. of mood or feeling; depression, dejectedness.(1) 1375 Barb. vii. 175.
The body vorthis hevy euirmar; And to slepe drawis hevynes a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 162.
Thai that tha lichtis suld kepe, For hewynes fele one a slepe 1490 Irland Mir. I. 144/13.
Hire blist sone grew in hir wame without hevines ore troubile of hire(2) c1420 Wynt. vi. 2458.
Thare melody all chawngyd wes In gretyng, and in hevynes Ib. vii. 1263.
Thare in till his hewynes … He cald the chyld 14.. Acts I. 30/2.
Sorow and hevines has he ineuch foroutyn mar c1460 Consail Wys Man 234.
Langour and ydilnes, Quhilkis bringis dispar & hevynes c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 39.
Of hevines he feillis sic a wecht, Ȝour melody he pleissis nocht till heir 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. fol. 72.
[The tacksmen of the mill] sal ber na indignation, hewynes nor inwaye to na other persone that [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1463.
Noye … Remanit ane hundreth and fyfty dayis, In gret langour and heuynes 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 13.
Greit doloure of heid with heauynes sollicitude & sadnes of mynd a1605 Montg. Son. xxxiv. 6.
More hevynes within my hairt I heep Nor cative Cresside