sharn dial. and Sc.
(ʃɑːn)
Forms: 1 scearn, scern, 4 ssarn, scharne, 4–5 sheren, scherne, 5, 7 sharne, 6–7 shearne, 6–9 shorn, 7 sherne, shurn, 8 shern, 9 shearn, scharn, shurne, shairn, sharen, -an, -on, shairin, 6– sharn.
[OE. scearn neut. corresp. to OFris. skern (mod.WFris. skern, NFris. sjaarn, sjuarn), MLG. scharn, ON. skarn (Sw., Da. skarn):—OTeut. *skarno-m, a pass. ppl. formation on the root *sker-: skar- to separate (cf. share n., shear v.).
Northern dialects have the form scarn (a. ON. skarn).]
Dung, esp. dung of cattle.
| c 825 Vesp. Ps. lxxxii. 11 Forwurdun ᵹewordne werun swe swe scearn eorðan. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xiii. (Z.) 83 Fimus scern. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 92 Gose scearn. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xix. cxiv. (1495) 918 The Lapwynge layeth and syteeth on broode on dyrte sheren and vnclene thynges. a 1585 Montgomerie Flyting w. Polwart 406 They fand the shit all beshitten in his awne shearne. 1601 Holland Pliny xvii. x. I. 509 They should be well soked or infused in soft beast shearne or thin dung. Ibid. xvii. xiv. 518 Mixed togither with oxe or cow shearn. 1645 Shetl. Witch Trial in Hibbert Descr. Shetl. Isl. (1822) 595 Quhilk stinked and tasted of sharn a long tyme. 1688 Holme Armoury ii. 173/1 Shorn is the Dung of Oxen and Cows. 1728 Ramsay Daft Bargain 26 Frae this tale, confed'rate states may learn To save their cow, and yet no eat her sharn. a 1774 D. Graham Hist. Reb. x. Writ. 1883 I. 171 A poor palace without a door, A bed of state, all wet with shern. 1811 Sir A. Boswell Poet. Wks. (1872) 150 Tho' he's coupit i' the shearn 'Troth I ken nought ill about him. 1824 Carlyle Early Lett. (1886) II. 286 Shouting, jostling, cursing in the midst of rain and shairn and braying discord. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 30 But oor minister..hae garred anither thrawn stick o' a farmer body lift his een abune the nowt an' the shairn. |
b. attrib. and
Comb. as
sharn-smeared adj.;
sharn-fly, a fly used by anglers as bait.
| 1787 Best Angling (ed. 2) 115 The *Shorn-Fly. Comes on about the same time as the Canon-fly... They are generally found in mowing grass. 1867 F. Francis Angling vi. (1880) 230 Shorn Fly, Hazel Fly, Marlow,..by all of which names this little beetle is known. |
| 1550 Bale Image Both Ch. (1560) B j b, The execrable cytezens of Gomorra with their *shorne smered captaines wyll sturre about them. |