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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.

Vane, Vain(e, adj. Also: wan(e, vayn(e, wain(e, wayn(e, wayin, vean, weyn(e. [ME and e.m.E. vain, vayn, wan (all Cursor M.), vayne (1340), weyn (a1450), vane (1483), wayne (1529), vaine (1568), OF vein, veyn, vain, L. vānus.]

1. Pointless, worthless, of no substance or value, useless, meaningless. Also, once, modifying a participle.(1) a1400 Leg. S. v 109.
For sic lewynge Of vice … vane thinge is it I-wis, As the medicine that takine is, Quhare-thru the seknes na remed Ma haf, bot hastis to the dede
a1500 Henr. Fab. 1133.
This tod I likkin to temptationis, Beirand to mynd mony thochtis vane
c1490 Irland Asl. MS 67/10.
Sclander bakbiting detractioun lesingis and vane langage
c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 175/39.
Wirk for the joy that lestis evir; For uder joy is all bot vane: All erdly joy returnis in pane
1513 Doug. ix iv 130.
For nocht thou says sik wordis vane [Ruddim. in vane]
1531 Bell. Boece I xlv.
To schaw every kind of fische … in Scotland, it wer bot ane faschious and vane lauboure
1546 Corr. M. Lorraine 170.
The armye off Ingland is cumand be sey and as I am informmyt cumis for the raleif off Sanctandros … My lord, beleif nocht that this is wane for in tymis bygane I haif maid your lordship trew advertysmentis
a1568 Bann. MS 212a/2.
O foly hairt … Wincust with werry wardly wane plesance
a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 444/98.
In God thairfoir the confort ay And quyt this warld for it is wane Prece to the place can newir dicay
1563-72 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi in Tracts 64.
As it is but loste laubour and a vane purpois to perswade men to repent that acknawledgis na fault … sa na les vane is it to exhort to repentance … quhair thair is na hope nor assurance of mercy
1582 Misc. Stair Soc. I 105.
The solutione of that argument is altogidder vane absurde and unworthie to be hard
1596 Dalr. I 181/30.
He esteimeng it nathing bot … ald wyfes vane fables … departed
1608 Reg. Privy C. VIII 78.
The subjectis of this cuntrey hes apprehendit sic a vane and sinister consait and imaginatioun of securitie, as yf no dangeir wer at ony tyme to persew thame
(b) 1456 Hay I 73/21.
For quhy that it war bot vayne thing to jugis to do justice, gif men suld be prufis thame selff
1513 Doug. x x 90.
Sic wordis vayn and onsemly of sovnd
1533 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 407.
The saidis lordis … has fund all the said Wallace sayingis frivoll and vayne
1551 Hamilton Cat. 63.
Quha brekis the secund command? Thai that sweris be the name of God fulehardelie … thai that sweris ane lesing, mainsueris thame self … to excuse thair fault, or for ony vaine mater
1551 Hamilton Cat. 118.
We suld forbeir all occasionis of syn, flee evil company, quhilk is lycht, wantone and vayne
1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 180 (G).
The Sone off Gode … quha … hes steirrit vpe ȝour wnderstanding for eruditione … (and nocht off waine curiosite to demand sic questione)
1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xxiv 29 (see 2 below).
Vain
1569-73 Bann. Memor. 85.
The captane of the castle … nurished in grit esperance, or elis vaine boasting, blew fourth of the rocke
a1578 Pitsc. I 88 n. 1.
Waine pryde and ambitiousnes cumes nevir of God bot allennerlie be the Deuill quha is the maister of pryde
a1578 Pitsc. I 88/1.
Wain
1587 Carmichael Etym. 34.
Nugae, vain clatters
1600 Glasgow B. Rec. I 201.
Ane pascuill … contenand dyvers vaine, fylthy, and iniurious wordes
1611 Crim. Trials III 160.
God, who will not suffer those who He hes destinat to ane more happie habitatioun, to abuse thame selfis with the delytis of the vayne schaddowes of this lyfe
1616 Hart Pref. to Bruce (1620) 14 (Jam. s.v. Hals).
Edward had … long time holden them in the hals, upon vain hope of the kingdome
1685 Stranraer B. Ct. 16 March.
Decernes the said Andro Dunbar in the sowme of ane hundred pundis for uttering the forsaid vaine speich
(c) a1500 Lanc. 382.
To dremys, sir, shuld no man have respek, For thei ben thingis weyn, of non affek
(d) a1538 Abell 76b.
He [sc. Macbeth] had answer of the ewill spreit at he suld nocht be wincust bot gife the wod of Birna wer translatit to Dunsynnan hill … and at nane borne of ane woman suld slay him. In this wan hop he slew many nobillis and tuke thare gude
a1570-86 Maitl. F. 419/14.
All worldlie welthe is wan
(e) 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 96.
Offerand many wayin profferis quhylk is nocht nessessar
(f) 1600-1610 Melvill 358.
Foolishe, vean gesting, and unsavorie speitches and talk
(2) 1562-3 Winȝet II 28/25.
Wanetalkand men and dissauearis

2. Of a person: Foolish, lacking sense or wisdom. Also const. in an action.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 101 (M).
Vane vagabund wedefull out of thy wit gane wyld Laythlie and lousie als lauchtane as ane leik
1533 Boece 634b1.
Ane tyran luffis nane bot vane fleschouris, vicious and wickit limmaris, be quhais counsall he rages in slachter & tyranny; ane king luffis men of wisdome gravite and science, knawing weill that his gret materis may be weill dressit be thair prudence
1533 Gau 25/9.
God hes Hime selff commandit the warkis quhilk we suld dw swa that we neid noder to seik or leir of oder vane maisters quhat guid warkis we suld dw
a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 119/25.
This may thow cleirlie persaif quhow profitable is the real presens of Christis flesche in the blissit sacrament—contra the vickit opinione of vane men in thir dais
c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii 67.
The godlie men in all thair wayis ar plaine … The hypocreitis ar fenȝeit, fals, and vaine; Will saye ane thing, and syne will do ane vther
a1568 Wedderburn in Bann. MS 279a/1.
I think thir men ar verry fals and vane That wemenis honour degraidis or estait
1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 32.
I wald ȝe war not vane To haif ȝour waik anis wirryit with the tod
1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xxiv 27.
Bot thow, vaine bable, bouistrit vp in pryde Crabit but cause, and caryit by thy sensis Throw sorcerie and vther vain pretensis
a1599 Rollock Wks. I 351.
Bot vain lown, thou never knew Christis purpose in deing for thee
1600-1610 Melvill 350.
That all sic as ar light and wanton in behaviour … using vean and profan companie … be scharplie … rebukit be the presbyterie
compar. 1600-1610 Melvill 56.
A veaner, fulishar, corrupter youthe was ther nocht in that collage
superl. 1603 Philotus 1015.
Flemit fuill … Thow is far vainest I wait weill
(2) a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 21/3.
My sone … This my counsale … In thy speiking luik that thow be nocht vane

3. Of a person: Indulging in vanity, conceited. a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 301/107.
Off burges wyfis thocht I speik plane Sum landwart ladeis ar als vane As be thair clething may appeir
a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 1/2.
Sum wyfes of borroustoun Sa wonder vaine ar and wantoun

4. a. In (to) vain, to no effect, uselessly, pointlessly. b. To tak the name of God(dis), (His name), in vane, to take God's name in vain, to utter God's name profanely or contemptuously. Also absol. [L. in vanum, OF en vein].a. (1) 1375 Barb. iv 48.
That trawaill thai maid in wayne
a1400 Leg. S. ii 518.
Ȝet wald nocht God his prayer War in wane
a1400 Leg. S. xviii 604.
Ȝet pressit I me … that I wald sa fane Entre haf; bot al in vayne
?1438 Alex. ii Prol. 18.
My trauell and my pane I se weill all is set in vane
14.. Reg. Maj. c. 166.
Gif it be done in the contrar we wyl it be again callit and in wayn
1456 Hay II 111/7.
God has nathing maid in nature nouthir in vane na voide na idill for nocht
a1500 Henr. Orph. 148.
Him to reios, ȝit playit he a spryng … Bot all in wane, thai comfort him no thing
a1500 Lanc. 524.
Weyne
c1475 Wall. ix 826.
Thai wordys are in wayn
c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 148/53.
Thow and I most in the court appeir, For he hes lang maid service thair in vane
1513 Doug. iv v 83.
Almychty Jove … onto thi templis dayly we Bryngis offerand and invane hallowis thi name
1513 Doug. ix iv 130 (Ruddim.) (see 1 (a) above). 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 156/3.
I wald think my laubouris in vane
a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 445/28.
Thi proffeit gif it weill gydit be And nocht in waine consumit and mispent
1600-1610 Melvill 147.
The manifald effeares of his father and frinds … maid him to stryve against the working of his hart; bot in vean, for [etc.]
1680 Lauder Observes 14.
They [sc. comets] seldome shine in wain
(2) a1400 Leg. S. xix 232.
He … fand na thing … & mad his trawale in-to wane
c1475 Wall. xi 255.
Was this all your desyr, To wayr a Scot thus lychtly into wayn?
b. 1533 Boece 39a.
To euery clan was the name of thare capitane in sic reuerence that gif ony mane swore the samyn thai suld be punyst … as thai had tane the name of Goddis in vane
1533 Gau 13/3.
Thou sal noth tak the nayme of God inuane
1564 Reg. Privy C. I 298.
The law of God dois expreslie prohibit to sweir and tak His name in vane
1596 Dalr. I 282/4.
Ane edict that na man take the name of God in vane sueiring ony athe: quha did vthirwise thair lipis with ane hett yrne sulde be burnte
1656 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 164.
All cursers, swearers, and taikers of the name of God in waine, speciallie in the open streits or in any publict way, to be punishit by the magistratis
absol. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 17/50.
Thy ten commandmentis: a God for to honour, Nocht tane in vane [B. nocht tane in vane His name], na manslaar to be [etc.]

5. absol. a. A vain thing, pomp and ceremony. b. Vane and vanite, in the above senses, worthlessness and futility, self-conceit and pride, etc.a. 1608 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 300.
I ordane na vain in my buriall, nor I forbid to oppin me, bot to burie me without serimonie and honest freinds
b. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 44.
Quhen I had al considiryt that is in this warld wndir the sone, I fand al bot wayne and wanite and afflixoune of manys mynd, but ony durable profyt
1461 Liber Plusc. I 385.
Thair is nocht heire bot vayn and vanite, Baith pompe and pryd, with passand pouerte, Weire and invy, with cankirryt cuvatis; And euiry man a lord desyris to be
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5033.
Ȝitt all this gret prosperitie, He thoucht it vaine and vanitie, And mycht neuir fynd repose compleit

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"Vane adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/vane_adj>

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