▪ I. † lin, v. Obs.
Forms: 1 linnan, 2 linnen, 3–7 lynn(e, 5–7 lyn(e, (6 lenne, 7 Sc. lein), 6–7 linne, 6–8 lin, 8 Sc. lean, leen. pa. tense 1 lann, 4 lan, 5 lyne, 6 lin; weak 6 linde, 7 lind, lynned.
[OE. linnan = OHG. (bi-)linnan (cf. blin v.), ON. linna (Da. linne, linde), Goth. (af-)linnan:—OTeut. *linnan (?:—*linw-), cogn. w. ON. lin-r soft, yielding, OE. l{iacu}ðe (:—*linþjo-) gentle: see lithe a.
The Sc. forms, lein, leen, lean, seem to be due to association with leend, lend v.2]
1. intr. To cease, leave off; desist from (something; in OE. const. dat.); also const. to with inf. Of the wind: To drop, lull. Also as a command, ‘Leave off!’ ‘Let go!’
| Beowulf 1478 Gif ic æt þearfe þinre scolde aldre linnan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 67 For ure fond nefre ne linnen for to fonden us mid sunnen. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1717 Þe neauer ne linneð nowðer ne lesseð, ah leaseð aa mare. a 1300 K. Horn 354 Rymenhild ȝef he cuþe Gan lynne wiþ hire Muþe. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 38 Þat never þai no lan Þe pouer to wirche wo. 1539 Cranmer Pref. to Bible, Which thyng [i.e. reading the Bible at home] also I neuer lynne to beate into the eares of them that bene my famyliers. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Clifford i, Couer fire, and it wil neuer linne. 1560 in Nichols Progr. Q. Eliz. III. 473 My lippes shall never lenne To power thye prayses to my penne. 1590 Greene Mourn. Garm. (1616) 63 All things did from their weary labour linne. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 315 If one pluck off the wings from a drone, and put him again within the hiue, he will neuer lin vntill he haue done the like by all the rest of the same kind. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. iv. Intermeane (1631) 62 Set a beggar on horse-backe, hee'll neuer linne till hee be a gallop. 1644 Z. Boyd Gard. Zion 26 (Jam.) For th' uncle and the nephew never lin, Till out of Canaan they have chac't them clean. 1652 C. B. Stapylton Herodian ii. 85 On both sides to Assayle they never lin. 1693 R. Lyde Acc. Retaking a Ship 23 At two in the Afternoon, the wind was at N.N.W. and Lynn'd a little. Ibid. 25, I bore away..thinking to go in over the Bar in the Morning tide, but by five the Wind Lin'd. 1697 W. Cleland Poems 96 (Jam.) Pareing time, and all the year, Is one to them, they never lein [rime keen]. [1710 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 31 Dec., When the year with MD 'gins, It without MD never lins. (These Proverbs have always old words in them; lins is leaves off.)] 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. iv. i. (1728), Let gang your Grips, fy, Madge!—howt, Bauldy leen [rime seen]. |
¶ b. Misused for: To fail, omit.
| c 1720 Prior Wand. Pilgr. 20 They seldom miss to bake and brew, Or lin to break their fast. |
2. trans. To cease from, leave off, discontinue.
| a 1300 K. Horn 319 Þi tale nu þu lynne, For Horn nis noȝt her-inne. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 558 Þe lavdabyll lyfe of lecherry let hur neuer lynne. 1548 Patten Exped. Scot. L iv b, Our Northern prikkers..sum hoopynge, sum whistelyng.. never linde these troublous..noyses all y⊇ night long. 1610 Cruel Shrew 9 in Roxb. Ball. (1871) I. 95 She never linnes her bauling Her tongue it is so loud. |
b. with vbl. n. as obj., or intr. with pr. pple. as complement.
| 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 5950 His leman lan neuer wepeing Aniȝt, when sche alon was. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Tim. 5, I was so cruell a persecutour, that I coulde neuer lynne doynge of vyolence. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Aristides (1595) 358 He [a horse] neuer lin flinging till he cast his maister on the ground. 1607 Middleton Your Five Gallants i. i. 292 A ruby that ne'er lins blushing for the party that pawned it. 1643 Milton Divorce i. Pref., We should never lin hammering out of our own hearts, as it were out of a flint, the..sparkles of new misery to ourselves. |
▪ II. lin
obs. inf., pres. pl., and pa. pple. of lie v.1
▪ III. lin
obs. variant of line n.1, linn, waterfall.