Harn, sb. brain. O. N. hjarni, brain, O. Dan. hiærnę, Norse hjarne, Dan. hjerne, O. Sw. hiärne, härne.
Harsk, adj. harsh, cruel. Wyntoun, IX, 1, 27; Douglas, II, 208, 17. O. N. *harsk, bitter, as proved by Shetland, ask, hask, hosk, and Norse hersk. Cp. Dan. harsk. O. Ic. herstr, bitter, hard, severe, is probably the same word, st to sk. Cp. Cu. hask weather, dry weather. Shetland, hoski wadder, dry and windy weather (Jakobson, p. 68). Dan. dial. harsk, bitter, dry. For dropping of r, as in the Shetland form, cp. kask, from karsk, in "Havelok," cited in Skeat's list.
Harskness, sb. harshness. Dunbar, 104, 19. See harsk.
Harth, adj. hard. Dunbar, F., 181; O. N. harðr, Norse har(d), Dan. haar(d), hard.
Haugh, sb. a hill, a knoll. O. N. haugr, a hill, Norse haug, Old Gutnic haugr, Cu. howe. The O. Sw. högher, O. Dan. hög, höw, Dan. höi, Shetland hjog, hög, show later monophthongation. Cp. M. E. houȝ, hogh.
Haver-meal, sb. oat-meal. Burns, 187, 32, 1. Cp. Norse, havremjöl, O. N. hafrmjöl, Dan. havre meel. The first element of the compound is used especially in Scand. settlements in England and is probably due to Scand. influence. An O. S. hafore exists, but if our word is native, it ought to be distributed in South Eng. diall. as well. The second element of the compound may be Eng.
Haynd, sb. Douglas, III, 119, 6. See aynd.
Heid, sb. brightness. Rolland, I, 122. O. N. hæið, brightness of the sky, hæið ok sólskin, brightness and sunshine, hæiða, to brighten, hæiðbjartr, serene. Cp. heiðs-há-rann, the high hall of brightness, an O. poetical name for heaven. The Norse adj. heid, bright, like the Sco. word, shows change of ð to d.
Hendir, adj. past, bygone. Bruce, 10, 551. Dunbar's poem, This hendir Night. O. N. endr, formerly. Cp. ender-day in Skeat's list.
Hething, sb. scorn, mockery. Wyntoun, IX, 10, 92; Wallace, V, 739; Douglas, II, 209, 7. O. N. hǽðing, sb. scoffing, scorn, hǽða, to scoff, to mock, Norse, hæding, scorn, mockery, O. Sw. hädha, hödha.