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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trans(e, Tranc(e, n. Also: transse, trunce. Pl. transsis, -es, transes, trans. [17th c. Eng. trance (once, 1659, Torriano translating passaggio), F. transe passage, L. transitus. Cf. Trance n.]

1. A, freq. covered or enclosed, passageway connecting two locations. a. A passage between buildings, streets or places, an alley, a lane. 1497 Prot. Bk. J. Young 200.
[His piece of waste land in north Leith, lying in the north end of St. Nicholas Wynd between the transe of the wynd on the east, and the land of James Leis 1501 Prot. Bk. J. Foular I i 185.]
Willelmus … concessit … potestatem eidem Thome Greg … liberum introitum et exitum infra transitum dicti sui tenementi ad terram suam vastam 1522 Cart. S. Giles 215.
The landis … liand … beside the Ovirbow on the est syde the transe of that ilk 1532 Edinb. Guild Ct. 2 Aug.
Trans 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 214.
That the clayth merket … be haldin … betuix the ovir Nether Bow and the Freir Wynd heid on ather syde of the trans of the Hie gait 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 234/1.
The gait and trans that passis fra the abbay kirk yard to the querrell hoilis 1562 Edinb. B. Deeds 29a.
The nether taverne of the said forland lyand on the west syd of the tranc thairof 1564–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 488.
Four double garrounis to the trans of the Stinkand Style 1567–8 Reg. Privy S. VI 35/1.
The transe and passage betuix the said tenement and Sanct Geilis Kirk 1570 Edinb. B. Rec. III 273.
The haill wayis passages and trans of the toun of Leyth 1588 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 523.
The transe of Bellis Wynd heid owerflowis with filth 1632 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 65.
In that transe or passage where now the pitt is, I would have you make a draw well c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. 71.
Onlie leaving a narrow transe on the west for the entry of the Bajans to their auditory 1678 Douglas Bequest II 15 March.
Quhilk buithes are boundit betuixt … the transe or passage to the inner land of the said Thomas Mudie … at the eist [etc.] 1683 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 73.
Sir Andrew Ramsay … wes craving libertie to put furth ane entrie throw a timber chop … into his lodging by ane trans upon the east syde of the said mercat

b. A passage or corridor within a building.(a) 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 31.
Ane thortour for the lycht of the trance quhilk passis fra the laicht chalmer 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 93.
The tua eist roundis and transsis 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 280.
For redding … of ane trance … under the chapell 1567 Liber Dryburgh 403.
For ane sclateris expenssis … pointand my Lordis chalmer in Driburgh the gallorie and trance a1578 Pitsc. I 333/10.
The king gart garnische the castell of Tantalloun … and caussit maissouns come and rainforce the samin wallis … as transses and throw passagis 1600 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXVI 14.
He takes me … through a trance, a galrie, and a chamber 1611 Macgibbon & Ross V 5.
Ane passage be ane woltit trans fra the turnepyik yet to the laiche sellars 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 339 (see f below).
Transe 1628 Misc. Maitl. C. III 369.
For bringing out of the laich trance of the stokis and quheillis of the artailyarie 1629 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 257.
The great trans … to be paintit with pannallis and mulleris in the rufe 1645 Lithgow Siege of Newcastle 24.
A dungeon trance within the castle 1657 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 56.
To divyd the chalmers … with … parple wallis and transes 1673 Fountainhall in M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. III 17.
To oversailyie the close, having both sides thereof, and cast a transe over it for communicating with both his houses(b) c1665 Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. III 6.
I did see a very large four-corner'd freestone … above the ground … so big, that having a round hole in the upper side, … I went down thereby and found two beds hewed out with irons, and a little trunce betwix them

c. A passageway in a church, an aisle. 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II 25.
xxvj stobbis of irne for the trans of the queir 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 107.
After the sighting … of the high kirks pend they find it necessarie that it be poynted … and the pillars and subpillers of the transes on everie side be made sure c1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 523.
[The Lord's Supper] … sie that none stand wp in the back of the trance 1693 Edinb. B. Rec. XII 136.
To cause divyde the row of seats in the midle of the new kirk in two by making a transe in the midle 1695 S. Leith Rec. 180/1.
These that stands in the back trance

d. A passageway in a mine. 1684 Fawside Coal Compt 127.
To the wright for the trance to the mind 10 s. 1684 Fawside Coal Compt 127.
To the coallheuers for the trance 8 s.

e. A (temporarily) enclosed place. 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 646/1.
Sa monye buirdis as salbe ane trans to clois the said ile, quhairbe thai may wirk peciabillie

f. attrib. Chiefly or only in senses b or c above. 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 127.
Four bandis tynnit to the thua transe durris of the chapell 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 226.
Ane new ke to the trans dure at gayis to the kirk 1576 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 161a.
In the hall … tway trans duris with bandis and lokkis 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 339.
The inner pairt of the transe entering and passing fra the tolbuith doir … and foir pairt of the said transe to be all of eastler wark with ane lang transe voult betuixt the thrie voultis 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 63.
For 2 trans windowis c1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 523.
Let George Wschart stand at the south syde of the trance doore and receave the tickets 1641 Kirkcaldy Presb. 205.
The transedoor

2. fig. or in fig. context. The transition from life to death.In the later examples prob. merely fig. use of 1 above. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 871 (Asl.).
Quhen … men … Drawis to the deid … Quhar is contricioun or quhar is restorans And gif our hele of grace recoverit be We ar sa trappit of trespas in the trans Fewe mendis thar maneris eftir infirmite 1632 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 83.
Letting you see a little sight of that dark trance you must go through ere you come to glory 1645 Rutherford Tryal Faith (1743) Ded.
Time is but a short trance: we are carried quickly through it a1658 Durham Blessedness Death (1713) 61.
Not going to death as to a prison, but as through a trance to a palace

3. ? A cross-piece. 1613 Soc. Ant. X 222.
The haill furnishing to the bark … For ane iron trans to the foir top mast xxxvj s.