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

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About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hard, adv. Also: herd. [ME. harde, OE. hearde.]

1. In various usual senses: Violently, strenuously; severely, cruelly; tightly, securely, fast; closely.(1) 1375 Barb. xiii. 173.
Scottis men thame hard assait ?1438 Alex. ii. 4342.
Marciane … the sainȝe … richt hard can cry Ib. 4348.
Thay challange it weill hard c1475 Wall. v. 846.
Wallace … Hewyt on hard with dyntis sad and sar Ib. x. 401.
In to the ost he went, Dingand on hard a1500 Rauf C. 24.
Sa wonder hard fure thay That ilk ane tuik ane seir way(2) 1375 Barb. ii. 47.
Ik herd neuir … tell Off man sa hard frayit as wes he c1420 Wynt. i. 157.
Hard wyth mankynde than it stude Ib. viii. 1571.
Makduff … Wes hard stad be mony men c1450-2 Howlat 263.
Gif thai the howlat mycht helpe that was so hard paynit a1500 Rauf C. 449.
I sall hald that I haue hecht, bot I be hard set 1535 Stewart 46610.
Into ane place quhair he wes sted rycht herd(3) a1400 Leg. S. ix. 34.
He sa hard is bundyne now a1500 Henr. Fab. 2154.
He laid his halfheid sicker hard and sad c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 48.
All the hollis wes stoppit hard 1513 Doug. i. v. 121.
Behind hys bak hard bund hys handis tway 1596 Dalr. I. 296/14.
Seing [that] ȝe … sa hard stickis in my breist and bydes in … my hartecomb. 1622 Conv. Burghs III. 127.
Fyve barrellis of hard pakkit salt

b. On a hard surface. 1456 Hay I. 301/26.
The knychtis … lay hard and mare in harnes na in fethir beddis

2. In close proximity, near (in space or time). With preps. and advs. of position, as at, besyd, by, etc. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 55.
Hard on burd vnto the blomyt medis … Arrivit sche Ib. 195. Id. Tua Mar. W. 13.
In haist to the hege so hard I inthrang 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. XIV. 75 b.
The said Williamis landis & mains … hard beside his said castell c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1694.
One plesand place Hard on the flude of Euphratace 1570 Leslie 208.
Sax peaces of gret artaillyerie war planted … hard at the toun syd 1589 Edinb. B. Rec.V. 381.
That all ventares of wyne … haif thair pynts [etc.] … merket … with the touns merk hard be the lip 1600-1610 Melvill 463.
The Assemblie … was hard at hand c1650 Spalding I. 86.
Thay took instrumentis in the handis of tua notaris hard beside