Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ENORM, adj. Sc. usages.

†1. Heinous.Rnf. 1721 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) 99:
As you have plainly insinuate, beeing formerly colluded with, and noe wayes punished for your former enorm practices.

2. Sc. law: considerable. Gen. in phr. enorm lesion, great detriment (see quots.).Sc. 1698 Morison Decisions (1811) 8894:
There can be no definition of enorm lesion; where there is no fixed norma, there cannot be an enormity.Sc. 1754 Erskine Principles (1903) i. vii. 20:
That the minor is hurt or lesed by the deed, to an enorm, i.e., a not inconsiderable degree, looking to the state of things when the transaction took place.Sc. 1825 Faculty Decis. 903:
The glebe is . . . to be made convenient to the minister, but not to the enorm lesion of the proprietor.Sc. 1885 Bell Principles § 2100. 470:
Lesion “which [to justify restitution] must be ‘enorm'”, i.e., not inconsiderable . . . must be shown in point of fact.Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 50:
When [a lesion is] enorm, or considerable, a minor suffering it may have a transaction which is to his lesion [detriment] set aside on the ground of minority and lesion.