A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1475-1598
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Warm, v. Also: warme. [ME and e.m.E. warrmenn (Orm), warme(n (Layamon), warm (c1440), OE werman, wirman tr., wearmian intr., MLG, MDu. warmen, ON verma.]
1. tr.Chiefly of a fire or fuel: To cause (a person) to become warm. Also absol.pres. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1372.
Scho … bad [him] … it [sc. the tree] dovne smyte For the wedder scho said was cald And my lord … is auld … Quhen he cummis hame it may him warme c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1842.
Quhen mennis memberris sufferit calde, Fyre warmyth thamep.t. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1640.
This clerk ill him bure That slokinnit the fyre that warmit the purep.p. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxv 429.
Julyane hyme bethocht That he the watir pas wald nocht With this chyld, til he warmyt ware a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1387.
[He] set his chyar to the fyre And quhen the lord was warmed wele He said [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7707.
He was warmit and restit thair ane spaceabsol. a1500 Henr. Fab. 390.
Thy awin fyre … thocht it be bot ane gleid, It warmis weill a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 263.
Better a littil fyr that warmes nor ane meikl that burnes
b. reflex.Of a person: To warm oneself (at a fire). c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xviii 18, 25.
The seruandis and mynisteris stude at the coolis, for it was cauld, and thai warmyt thame. And Petir was with thame, standand and warmand him … And Symon Petir stude, and warmyt him 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7705.
For verray cauld he cheuerit at the chin. And doun he sat, and warmit him at the fire 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 139.
I was lenand upon him warming me at the fyre a1578 Pitsc. II 130/18.
Walter Mylie was warmeand him in ane poore womans house in Dysart and teichand hir the commandis of God
2. fig.a. intr.To feel uplifted, feel joy or pleasure. b. tr.To warm someone's hert, to cause another to feel uplifted or happy.a. a1500 Henr. Fab. 456.
Quhen I behald ȝour fedderis fair and gent, … My hart warmys, me think I am at hameb. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 496.
To every man in speciall speke I sum wordis So wisly and so womanly quhill warmys ther hertis
3. To cause (something) to become warm by artificial means. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii 271.
His fostyr modyr … Did mylk to warme his liff giff scho mycht saiff
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"Warm v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/warm_v>
