A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Ne, Ney, Nie, Nye, a. and adv. Superl. neyest. [North. ME. neȝe (Cursor M.), early ME. neȝen (Layamon), ME. ney(e (14th c.), e.m.E. ney(e, ny(e, nie, OE. néaᵹ- rare inflected form of néah, néh adj.: cf. Nigh a. and adv.] Near. — ?1438 Alex. i. 3137.
The fourriours that chaissit thame na [read ne] All discumfit hes sene thame sla [read fle] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 192.
Thairby I understude that scho was nie [: pusillamitie, companie] Id. Æn. x. xiv. 5.
Hys helm of steil besyde hym hang weil ne Apon a grayn … of a grene tre c1515 Asl. MS. 307/19.
Nye besyd Catalone 1558-66 Knox II. 355.
This great cumpany that approcheth neyest to us will do us no harm 1611-57 Mure Doomesday 534.
How more sublime the object bee, The union inward and more nie
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"Ne adj., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ne_adj_adv>
