A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1513
[0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Payan(e, Paian, n. and a. Also: -ene, -aȝn, -and; -eme; pane, payn(e. [ME. and e.m.E. paeyn (c 1290), payene (1297), paen (Cursor M.), paene, pain, payn (a 1300), also paynen (c 1390), payne (c 1550, thereafter obs. in Eng.), OF. paien (11th c.), paian, payen (mod. F. païen), L. pāgānus. Cf. Pagan(e n. and a., also Panian.]Only in Leg. S. and Doug.
A. noun. A pagan or infidel. = Pagan(e n. and a. A. Also possess.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xix. 636.
Of paianis he had gert trew … sexty thousand a1400 Ib. xxvii. 944.
Payene a1400 Ib. xxxii. 100.
Payanis a1400 Ib. xxix. 73.(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvi. 261.
& syndry ritis vndir mad As of payaȝn[i]s custummance
B. adj. Heathen. = Pagan(e n. and a. B.predic. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii. 877.
A man that … was payeme and richt crafty a1400 Ib. xxxi. 281.attrib. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxi. 85 (see Lay n.1).
Paian lay 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 460.
Calliope nor payane [v.rr. payand, payne] goddis wild [etc.] 1513 Ib. iv. vi. 43.
Quhen euery thryd ȝeir on thar payane gys [etc.] 1513 Doug. v. ii. 71 (Ruthv.).
Pane ryte 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 60.
Payan [v.r. payn] warkis 1513 Ib. 79.
Payane lawis
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Payan n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/payane>
