Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1857
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‡FRAINISHIN, vbl.n. Also frenishen, -in, frennisin. [′frenɪʃi.n]
1. A rage, passion, frenzy, distraction (Ags. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell Psalms vii. 6:
Raeise up, O Lord, in thine angir; lifte up thysel' becaus o' the frennisin o' mine enimies.
Hence ¶frennisinlie, adv., frantically, furiously.s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell Psalms ii. 1:
Why do the heaethin frennisinlie forgether?
2. A state of mental confusion, a daze, esp. of a child suddenly awakened from sleep (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.).
3. A stir or commotion (Watson).
[A variant of frainesying, vbl.n. form from Frainesy.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Frainishin vbl. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/frainishin>
