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

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

Lout, Lowt, v.¹ Also: loute, lowte, loutt, lowtt. [ME. and e.m.E. lout(e, lowt(e, ME. lute(n, p.t. louted, ME. luted, lutte, OE. lútan, ON. lúta, str. vb.The weak inflection of the p.t. is appar. orig. north. and midl. in ME.]

To bow or stoop (also, low, down, etc.).

1. intr. To bow respectfully or in submission, to make an obeisance.In this sense appar. chiefly or only in verse.pres t. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 252.
For hyre [the image of Our Lady] the sacristane cane lout & lowyt hyre a1500 Henr. Fab. 918.
He lukit quhen that he saw thame lout And bad thame [etc.] a1500 Sir Eger 992.
But neither would he beck nor kneel Nor lowt nor yet his head down heel a1540 Freiris of Berw. 356.
Mair than lawly cowd he lowt 15.. Clar. v. 2162. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1086 (Wr.).
‘Good-man, grande mercie for your gecke,’ Quoth Hope and lowly lowtsp.t. 1375 Barb. v. 253.
Thar-with-all He lowtit and his leyf has tane ?1438 Alex. ii. 7590.
The Bauderane … saluted the King … Loutit and inclynit courtasly Ib. 11126. c1450-2 Howlat 460.
Thar with he lowtit [B. lowttit] full lawe a1500 Henr. Fab. 913.
Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay loutit law a1540 Freiris Berw. 347.
In the north he turnit and lowtit doun

b. To bow or make obeisance to or till a person; also const. dative pron. and (quasi-tr.) noun.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 1207.
He to quham I ame nocht worthi loute, Na of his schone the laise tak oute a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1276. a1500 Seven S. 1298.
Quhen the barn him saw Till his master he lowtit law c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 52.
Loutt a1568 Bann. MS. 29 a/2.
We that ar bocht with Chrystis blude, Lat ws with loving till him lout a1605 Montg. Son. xxxii. 3.
I love the lillie as the first of flours … To vhome the laive ay lowly louts(2) 1375 Barb. ii. 154.
He … hailsyt him in hy And lowtyt him full curtasly(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 343.
That scho suld God lofe & lowte

2. To bend down, to stoop. Also transf.Also to lout down and (straighten oneself) up.(1) verse a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 1058.
As he oure the burd [= overboard] can lout The coupe & he bath fel out c1420 Wynt. iii. 42 (W).
Off his chyare … This King Eglone lowtit [R. ras wp] with that a1500 Gol & Gaw. 1022.
As he loutit our ane bra His feit founderit hym fra a1500 Henr. Fab. 1955.
He [the wolf] Syne loutit doun and tuke him [the kneeling fox] be the hand: ‘Ryse vp, Lowrence’ a1500 Seven S. 738, 740.
He … bad his newo laigh dovne lowte And … it [a plant] … wp tak; Quhen he was lowtand [etc.] a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1470. 1513 Doug. x. ix. 84.
The Troiane prynce down lowtis hym abone, And with hys brand [etc.] 15.. Wyf Awcht. 63.
He satt doun to say the spynning: I trow he lowtit our neir the low 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 49 (B).
And had nocht bene I lowtit in that steid I had strukkin ane lump out of my heid 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9183. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 19/24. 1604-31 Craig ii. 34.
Thus Hylas to Ascanius flood is gone To draw a drinke and lowting life hath lost(2) prose c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xx. 5.
And quhen he lowtit [P. stoupide; L. se inclinasset] he saw the schetis liand, neuirtheles he entrit nocht 1567 Inverness Rec. I. 146.
The said Ewin … keist ane tre … at me, and war I nocht louttit downe and wmchewit the samyn he had slane me 1622 Falkirk Par. Rec. 32. 1630 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 620.
She pulled him back be the ruff to the ground and he lowtting to have tane up his ruff she [etc.] 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves 11.
He scatters his gold, we proud beggars will not bow our back and lout down and gather a1651 Calderwood V. 559.
Wherin the best men … are content to be blinded … least they sould heare the cryes of the daughter of Sion … lowt down and helpe her 1684 Law Memor. 85.
He loutting down with a candle among louse papers, fyred them so as he could not quench it — 1652 Elgin Rec. II. 281.
James Winster deponed he saw him louting down and up as if he had bein setting plants —transf. 1596 Dalr. I. 48/29.
Is thair lykwyse a gret craig louting doune, quhilke they cal Bennachie

b. To stoop under a door-lintel; to stoop (under the lintel) and go into (in) a dwelling. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix. 39.
Syne Deid castis vpe his ȝettis wyd, Saying, ‘ … Albeid that thow wer neuer sa stout, Vndir this lyntall sall thow lowt’ a1568 Bann. MS. p. 17/21.
Cum, Lord, and in our lugeing lout

c. Of the sun: To go down. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxviii. 74.
As the dayis lamp dois lout

3. fig. a. To bow in submisslon, to submit, to yield or obey. Also const. to (a person, laws etc.), under (one), and (quasi-tr.) simple noun.(1) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 991.
He gart thame law lout 1535 Stewart 5845.
And all the warld thai haif gart lout full law Ib. 8875.
And mony kene knycht maid on force to lout Ib. 11852. a1570-86 Maitl. F. lx. 71.
Gif thow wald … mak thy leigeis for to lout With luif and liberalite a1605 Montg. Devot. P. iv. 59.
Stoup, hardnit hairt, befor the Lord and lout, … Thou knouis not weill when thou man pas away(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1097.
The lyoun is the warld be liknes, To quhome loutis baith empriour and king 1535 Stewart 52484.
This beand done, richt mony war in dout Quhome to that tyme tha sould obey or lout 1625 Garden Kings 59.
He [King Malcolm] four times forcde thame [the Highlanders] to the lawes to lout(3) 1535 Stewart 9135.
Suppois thai war baith stalwart, strang and stout Vnder him law he suld sone gar thame lout(4) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1255.
Lak nocht the lord that all suld lout

b. To humble oneself; also, to be humbled. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 322.
The mair he loutit for my luf, the les of him I rakit a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xv. 52.
No more I lout, Bot stands vp stout As glade of hir for vhom I only greu 1604-31 Craig v. 28.
Or that the fatall sparke, whereon thy loines might lout, And mounting much, might make thee pleade, for peace thy time about 1635 Dickson Wr. 127.
He must lout laigh ere he win so high 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves 10.
The lintel-stone of our Lord's school-door is a low-stone. Ye must stoup low and lout, ye will be on your knees with it or ye can win in

c. Of the spirits: To be downcast, to sink, fall. c1420 Ratis R. 810.
The thrid motyve I cal gret dout That garris al thy spretis lout c1590 Fowler I. 186/11.
This is her state, and that is myne agayne, Now louting lowe, now monting high above