Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Boun, Bown, ppl. a. Also: bon(e, boune, bowne, bowin. [ME. boun(e, bown(e, bon(e, early bun(e, ON. bún-, búenn, p.p. of búa to make ready. Chiefly, and in early use exclusively, in verse.]

1. Of persons: Ready or prepared for some action. Freq. const. with prep. (for, to) or with infinitive, and in the phrase to make (oneself) boun. (See also reddy boun s.v. Reddy a.)(1) 1375 Barb. v. 322.
The men … That suld all boune before him be Ib. xix. 434.
Scottis men … Bown on thair best wis can thaim ma a1400 Leg. S. xi. 163.
We grant ws seruandis ay bown of Ihesu Criste Ib. xxxii. 754.
Thane but bad he mad hym bon ?1438 Alex. ii. 411.
The king lap doun and boun him made a1500 Rauf C. 124.
Gif thow at bidding suld be boun or obeysand a1500 Henr. Orph. 110.
Seand this cais Proserpyne maid hir bovne 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 3.
He bad, al mak thaim boun Ib. viii. viii. 115.
Tarchon … To me send ambassatouris all boun 1567 G. Ball. 142.
Pluk up ȝour hairtis, and mak ȝow bowne 1583 Sat. P. xlv. 1072.
He … Lapp in a bott & maid him boun a1585 Polwart Flyt. 766.
False lowne! make thé bowne(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1694.
To the se thai maid thaime bowne c1420 Wynt. ii. 752.
Alle the men … That was noucht tyll hys byddyng bown Ib. v. 5571.
The Empryoure … mad hym bowne For hys cas c1460 Thewis Wysmen 127.
To Goddis seruice thai are ay boune 1523–4 Acta Conc. XXXIV. 45.
Sa that we wald haif bene bown for gud reule 1567 G. Ball. 62.
I … to the deide bowne, cairfull creature a1605 Montg. Flyt. 630.
To babling aye bowne(3) 1375 Barb. ii. 160.
He boune wes … To tak with him the gud and ill a1400 Leg. S. i. 613.
Petir bowne Hym mad to pas of the towne Ib. xxiii. 450; etc.
As quha to slepe suld mak hym bon c1420 Wynt. iv. 786.
Ma sall de Than sall be boune to fycht or fle Ib. vii. 3116; etc.
That to do thai mad thame bowne a1500 Henr. Fab. 470.
To chant and craw he maid him boun c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 233.
Loun lyk Mahoun, be boun me till obey 1513 Doug. iv. vi. 37.
To pas thai mak thaim boun Ib. xi. vii. 21.
Quhen that our fays … ar bown For to besege the wallys of our town 1569 Sat. P. x. 258.
To hald the airis in thay partis he was bowne 1584 Reg. Privy C. III. 656.
All … schippis … now frauchtit and bowin to saill in onie uther cuntreis

2. Ready to set out or go; prepared for a journey or voyage; proceeding to a specified destination.In common use (also in prose) after 1560. c1420 Wynt. v. 3656.
Off that land he mad hym bowne Ib. 3667.
Quhare art thow bowne Ib. viii. 2696.
Fra Dwnfermlyne he mad hym bown a1500 Rauf C. 796.
Evin to the montane he maid him full boun a1500 Prestis of Peblis 816.
Vnto ane burges innis he maid him boun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 44.
Oute of … Striuilling toun, To Edinburcht blis, God mak ȝow boun 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 21.
Quhidder ar ȝe bown, ȝe schaw ws plane 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 303.
Command me to ony service in to the partis quhare I am bown to 1565 Prot. Bk. J. Foulis 94.
The partis … beȝond sey to the quhilkis he is presentlie bown 1570 Leslie 257.
Thair come ane gret ship … bowin toward England a1578 Pitsc. II. 287/20.
Thay knew not the said Adames purpois nor quhair he was bowne to 1586–7 Soc. Ant. IV. 424.
My Lord Coronnel … is boune over the watter 1592 Warrender P. II. 195.
Mr George Ker being bown out of the cuntrey 1604–5 Misc. Spald. C. V. 77.
To ane litill boy … , being bown to the eist partis 1614 Crim. Trials III. 284.
All schippes or veshelles bowne to Orknay 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 84.
The ship … callit the Grene Dragoun whiche wes … bowne to Bayoun

3. Of things: Made ready, put in order. a1400 Leg. S. v. 60.
He saw a cors to bere mad bone [: towne] Ib. xxxiii. 635.
He … gert ma bowne … A costlyk sette a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 51.
That we myght entir in his toune, … To by us vittale boune a1500 Seven S. 2481.
Quhen all was bovn c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 6.
The barres wes maid boun 1535 Stewart 2810.
Tha salute vther … With langage boun vpoun ane gudlie wys 1585 James VI Ess. 25.
A costly crown, Seuinfolde and round, to dyuers motions boun