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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BYGANE, BYGAINE, BYGONE, adj. and n.pl. Originally used following the date or noun which it qualified. [′bɑɪ′gen]

1. adj. (sometimes used adverbially).

(1) Past (Abd.⁹, Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³ 1938).Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xiv.:
There has been a lusty, goodlooking kimmer, of some forty, or bygane, making mony speerings about you, my lord.Bnff.² 1938:
The twa auld cronies sat at the fireside, crackin' ower bygane days an' bygane frolics.Ags. 1823 A. Balfour Foundling of Glenthorn I. iii.:
But an' you had seen her ae night this bygane winter!em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 9:
Kings an maisters syne will rise,
But haunless, wersh, their strenth bygane;
An aw thae fowk that they ruled ower
Will ken them nane.Lnk. 1712 Minutes J.P.s Lnk. (S.H.S. 1931) 124:
Collector of the house money for the year 1711 bygaine.

(2) Overdue, of payments, in arrears. Abd. 1717 Third S.C. Misc. I. 32:
The Bailzie ordains the feuars to pay up their bygone vicarage.Ayr. 1706 Arch. & Hist. Coll. Ayr. & Wgt. IV. 219:
The soume of twentie two poundes four shilling scottis money of bygone rent.

2. n.pl.

(1) Past offences or injuries (Bnff.², Abd.², Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³, Kcb.¹ 1938).Sc. 1745 A. Cockburn Parody of Clout the Cauldron in Letters and Memoirs, etc. (1900) 262:
And for your mair encouragement, Ye shall be pardoned byganes.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) i.:
Wheesht, granfaither, ye ken it's no canny to let out a word of thae things; let byganes be byganes, and forgotten.

†(2) Arrears, payments overdue.Sc. 1753 Records Conv. Burghs (1915) 417:
They should name what should be paid by him for bygones.

(3) Phr. in the bygane, in the past, of old. Cai. 1869 M. McLennan Muckle Jock 78:
Ye canna expec' me tae pleedge masel, 'cause ye hae dune ill i' the bygane.Fif. 1832 Fife Herald (26 July):
We can a' trust ye, for we ken ye in the bygane.