A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Serpent-stane, -stone, n. [Serpent n. 1 and Stane n.; cf. e.m.E. serpent-stone (1681).] a. ? ‘An artificial ‘stone’ used as a remedy for the poison of serpents' (OED Serpent-stone 2). b. ? A piece of serpentine, the rock or mineral composed largely of hydrous magnesium silicate. —a. 1460 Hay Alex. 14800.
And here of pretius veschell I ȝow send Off serpent stane with gold borderit about That all the poysoun of this warld, but dout, Sall neuer him dere na man of that it drinkis —b. 1655 Wemyss Chart. 242.
Ane serpent stone, which is blew and whyt
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"Serpent-stane n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/serpent_stane>
