covenn.
/ˈkʌvᵻn/, U.S. /ˈkəvən/, Scottish English /ˈkʌvᵻn/ Scottish.
a. An assembly, meeting, or company. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 196 Lat anis the cop ga round about, And wyn the covanis banesoun.
b. spec. A gathering of witches; a ‘convent’ or company of thirteen witches; cf. convent n. 1, 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > sorcerer or magician > witch > [noun] > meeting of
witches' Sabbath1613
Sabbat1652
sabbath1660
coven1662
witches' meeting1693
witch meeting1693
witch sabbath1826
1662 in R. Pitcairn Criminal Trials Scotl. III. 606 Ther vold meit bot sometymes a Coven..Ther is threttein persones in ilk Coeven.
1830 W. Scott Lett. Demonol. & Witchcraft ix. 286 The witches of Auldearne..were told off into squads, or Covines.
1886 C. Rogers Social Life Scotl. III. xx. 278 To their covens or gatherings the foul sisterhood were borne through the air.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.?a1513