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 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Plane, Plain, v.¹ Also: plaine. [Sense 1 perh. chiefly repr. ME. (c 1320) and e.m.E. plane, OF. planer, cf. Plane n.²; sense 2 repr. ME. (Chaucer) pleyne, playne, e.m.E. playne, plain, also in sense 1, f. Plain a.¹] tr.

1. To make (a surface) level or flat, to smooth; also, to make (a surface) unbroken or uninterrupted, to clear. a1500 Bk. Chess 1381.
At his belt a trowall … That masonnis vsis for to plane the wall 1513 Doug. xii. iii. 8.
Quhen that the Troianys and Rutilianys The grund myssouris, evynnys, dichtis and planys Ib. xii. 188.
The stok of this tre doun was rent … To that entent to plane the batale place 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 24.
Thre uther barromen feit to plane the throuchis 1639 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 567.
I know that ye see your knottiness since our Lord whiteth and heweth and plaineth you

2. To make plain, to demonstrate or declare. c1450-2 Howlat 850.
The pure howlatis appele completly was planyt [: remanit] 1562 Q. Kennedy Ressoning (W.S.) 214.
In this maner of speaking I wil plaine my industrie 1567 G. Ball. 87.
Quha trewlie traistis in thy godlie name Sall never die eternallie, I plane 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl. 349. 1581 Sat. P. xliii. 166.
I dar not pen the speciallis, I do plaine ȝow [: again ȝow]