adv. (conj.) Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 4 seine, syn, 4–6 (9) sine, 5 seyn(e, syen(e, syon, (8–9 saan), 4– syne. [Contracted form of ME. sethen, SITHEN, perh. influenced by ON. síðan; cf. HYNE, THYNE, WHYNE for HETHEN, THETHEN, WHETHEN. The northern-English spellings with -ei- (-ey-), rhyming with ī, are common to all four words; their phonological significance is obscure. See also the corresponding form with shortened vowel, SIN adv.; cf. SEN adv. and SENE adv.]
1. Directly or next after that; at the next moment; immediately afterwards; then, thereupon; SINCE A. 1. (Occas. strengthened by after.)
13[?]. Gosp. Nicodemus, 1069 (Galba MS.). In aramathi he set me seine [rhymes hein, fein].
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XI. 216. Valtir, steward of scotland syne, That than wes bot ane berdlas hyne, Com vith a rout of nobill men.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), i. 4. Þan men passez thurgh þe land of Pynceras … and seyne to þe citee of Bradrenople and seyne [ed. 1839 aftre] to þe citee of Constantynople.
c. 1400. Song Roland, 826. All the cursed men to mahoun criene, ledes them on the lond, hold to-gedur seyne.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., III. ix. 1085. And there it wes syne mony day.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 87. First to lofe, and syne to lak, Peter! it is schame.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. ix. 78. My fader … The riche realme of Cyper waistit by weir, And wan it syne.
1561. Winȝet, Four Scoir Thre Quest., xlvi. Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 106. Be reconcilit with thi brother, and syne cum and offir thi gift.
a. 1568. Wyfe of Auchtermuchty, 47 (Bann. MS.). And the gudman raiss eftir syne.
a. 1585. Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 515. First spye baith, syne try baith.
1681. Colvil, Whigs Supplic. (1751), 37. He empties all the water, syne He fills the place with brandy-wine.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 28. He first speer’d at the guidman, And syne at Giles the mither.
1785. Burns, Holy Fair, xxiv. In comes a gaucie, gash Guidwife, An’ sits down by the fire, Syne draws her kebbuck an’ her knife.
1826. R. Chambers, Pop. Rhymes Scotl. (1870), 283. Jethart justice—first hang a man, and syne judge him.
1891. Morris, Poems by Way, Son’s Sorrow, 146. Three sons my true-love bore me there, And syne she died who was so dear.
1902. Buchan, Watcher by the Threshold, 247. Syne he rebuked her coldness.
† b. (with prospective reference): Directly after this, immediately, presently. Obs.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace (Camden), xviii. Go, loke thou diȝte oure soper syne.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxx. 534. Nay, tary not so we get ado syne.
c. (in reference to serial order generally): In the next place, next, further, moreover: = THEN 3 b.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (verse), 565. And syen our neghburs sal we luf.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 2. And syne efter sall folowe the principale parties of the buke.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, IV. 653. And sine the drink it was sa delicious.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 4. First to pleis god and syne our nobill king.
2. At a later time, afterwards, subsequently; esp. in phr. soon or syne, sooner or later.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 450–1. Bot syne our lord sic grace thaim sent, That thai syne, throw thar gret walour, Come till gret hycht & till honour.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xii. 198. Abyde vnto syne.
c. 1587. Montgomerie, Sonn., xx. 8. He recompencis, as ȝe play your pairts, Once, soon or syne.
a. 1600. Hooker, Serm. Nat. Pride, iii. Wks. 1888, III. 627. As verily as God is just, his justice will show itself upon them soon or sine.
1678. Hist. Indulgence, Ep. to Rdr. Soon or syne he shall be put to it.
1722. W. Hamilton, Wallace, 318. Each Rogue … Shall be discov’red soon or syne.
1854. Mrs. Oliphant, Magd. Hepburn, i. I. 19. His fate … waits for him soon or syne.
1899. Crockett, Kit Kennedy, vii. We may as well get it over soon as syne!
3. Since that time, since then: = SINCE A. 2.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), iv. 13. Seyne hiderward myght na knyght see hir.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. ix. 79. Evir syne of Troye … The destructioun hes bene wele knawin to me. Ibid., II. xi. 99. Neuir syne with ene saw I hir eft.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xlii. I hae seen it mysel mony a day syne.
1854. Thackeray, Rose & Ring, xii. Marry, indeed am I, my gracious liege—the poor Lord Spinachi, once—the humble woodman these fifteen years syne.
4. (So long) before now; ago: = SINCE A. 4. See also LANGSYNE.
[14[?]. R. Glouc. Chron. (Rolls), 52 (MS. β). Ȝit is nouȝt longe syne.]
1573. Tyrie, Refut., in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.), 18. It was Hierusalem ane thousand and fyve hundreth yeir syne.
c. 1620. A. Hume, Brit. Tongue, Ded. (1865), 1. I … set my-selfe, about a yeer syne, to seek a remedie.
1786. Burns, Twa Dogs, 28. [He] had Luath ca’d him, After some dog in Highland sang, Was made lang syne.
1788. W. H. Marshall, Yorksh., II. 349. ‘Hoo lang saan?’ ‘A year saan.’
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., v. Ye said a gliff syne it was quivis, and now I heard ye say cuivis with my ain ears.
1871. C. Gibbon, Lack of Gold, xii. He was here a minute syne.
† B. conj. = SINCE B. 4. Obs. rare.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1864 (Dubl. MS.). A sot I hym halde, Þat ay hase dene & dispyte of dedes of lityll, Syon [Ashm. MS. Sen] oft þe haslokst her is heuen to þe sternes.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 181. Eternaile God, quhy suld I thus wayis de; Syne my beleiff all haile remanys in the?
