Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1827, 1903-1949
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NANES, n. Also (n)aince. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. nonce, in phr. for the nanes: 1. as in Eng. freq. used as a metrical tag; 2. expressly, for a particular purpose, in one particular context, for a joke (Cai. 1963). Obs. exc. dial. in Eng.1. Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 106:
Thir damnit faes that siege our wa' Wi' wappens for the nanes.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 22:
An', for the nanes, he was a reiver.2. Cai. 1903 E.D.D.:
To say a thing “for en aince”, usually, as a kind of joke, not quite seriously. The three syllables are heard as one word.Cai. 1949:
Never mind him: he's only saying it for 'e naince.
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"Nanes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/nanes>
