Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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PARPEN, n., adj. Also parpin, parpane; perpen(d). [′pɑrpɪn]

I. n. 1. In Building: a stone which passes through the entire thickness of a wall, thus exposing two vertical prepared surfaces, “a through bond stone faced both ends” (Sc. 1956 Builder (20 June) 942). Now-only dial. in Eng. Also used attrib. in combs. parpen-ashlar, -esler, ashlar walling of this type (Ib.), see quots.; parpen-wall, a wall made of one thickness of stone faced on both sides. See also 2. and cf. Pairple.Sc. 1696 in Knoop & Jones Sc. Mason (1939) 83:
Are there any jewells in your lodge? Yes three — Perpend Esler, a square pavement, and a broad ovall.Bch. 1897 Trans. Bch. Field Club IV. 78:
“Parpan”, which just means a stone reaching through to each side of the wall.

2. Short for parpen-wall: a wall built of parpens, i.e. one having both sides of dressed stone. See above; specif. (1) an inner wall of a building, a partition; “a wooden partition” (‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); (2) the parapet of a bridge (Abd. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven II. 32:
The parapet of a bridge is called in Scotland, parpane, which, in general, consists of a single stone in width.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 25:
Upon the brig, wi' licht in haun'. . . Straddlin' the parpane for a munt.

II. adj. Of a door, window-frame or the like: in exact alignment, dead true, exactly parallel or perpendicular (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 122; ne.Sc. 1965). Comb. parpen sticks, two pieces of wood set exactly parallel to one another, used for a variety of purposes in building, e.g. in fitting together a door or window (Abd.²⁷ 1949).Abd.⁵ 1928:
“Ye'll never get that richt — it's nae parpin”, said of a piece of building or construction where things are not properly trued — squared and paralleled.