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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rin(n)and, Runnand, Rin(n)ing, Run(n)ing, ppl. adj. Also: ryn(n)-, reinn- and -ane; -yng, -inge; -ant. [ME and e.m.E. rynnyng (1390–1), runnynge (c1450), earlier rennynge (Wyclif), also north. ME renand (Cursor M.), rennande (14..); Rin v.¹] That runs or is running, in various senses of Rin v.¹

1. Of water: Flowing (freq., as opposed to stagnant); taken from a running stream, fresh.(1) 14.. Acts I 310/2.
The gallon aw to conteyn xij pundis of watir that is for to say iiij pundis of salt watir … iiij pundis of standande watir and iiij pundis rynnand watir 1456 Hay II 138/19.
And thai cummys maist nere … townis that ar rynnand wateris cummand of rayn 1494 Loutfut MS 131a.
And quhat montis rynand wattiris briggis of fuyrdis or mos 1499–1500 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 77.
And this clengeing to be maid at the rynnand Watter of Leyth, … nother wellis, nor yitt at the Sowth Loch 1513 Doug. iv ix 33.
The rynnand fludis thar watir stop kan scho mak 1583 Crail B. Ct. 7 Dec.
The rynnand strype rynnand throw the hous of Wm. Dauidsone 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 87.
Ane wther witche to tak thi witchecraft from him … com … and weische him in ane sowtht rynnand watter 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Pvrprestvre.
Quhen ony … divertis rinnand waters fra their richt course 1603 Crim. Trials II 422.
Quhilk lykwayis lernit him to tak southe-rynnand-watter to cuir the saidis diseissis 1606 Acts IV 287/2.
That na persone nor persones … lay in lochis and rynnand burnis ony grene lynt(b) 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 May.
To quhilk end scho … commandit to bring south runnand watter frome Tay(c) a1568 Montg. Bann. MS I p. 51/8.
Ane tre That planctit by the rynnyng revar growis 1631 Justiciary Cases I 170.
Causeing his wyf to wash his sark in ane rynning watter(2) 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Fons, ane rynnand well

b. Also, once, appar. applied to a watercourse. 1509 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 353.
And fra thai pottis discendand to ane faire rynnand wale northtwart

2. Of blood: That is flowing from the body. a1450 Fifteen Ois 316.
Lord, for thi bitter tormenting And the sweit blud and rynning 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5673.
This herb … is … gude … to stem rynning blude

3. Applied to (a quantity of) grain that has been measured by Rin(n)and met. = Rin-met n. (3).(a) 1563 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 12 June.
v firlottis ij pectis rynnand beir to be payit of the first of his beir schorne 1592 Sc. N. & Q. VII 47.
Gifin to … xx bollis rinand beir quhilk makis xviij bollis iij fir. cherit beir Ib.
Quhilk viii^xxvi bollis rinand corne maid equall with the gryt met extendis to x chalder xii bolls ii fir.(b) 1627 Rep. Parishes 3.
We walow it to be worth sex bollis ane husband land off rining wictuall

4. a. Of metal: In a molten condition. b. With ell or measur: ? Lineal.a. 1640 Intentions Army Scotland Declared 42.
Fire arms … of the bore, proportioned to a bullet of 14 drop-weight runningb. 1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 33.
And also for being a footway the midle wherof is to be the rewell to measure by being runing measur from east to west, they doe unanimously aggrie that the runing ells shall each ell pay sex shilling eight pennies scots of yearly few

5. a. Of a course: Performed swiftly; rapid. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 910.
Twa rynnyng renkis raith the riolyse has tane Ilk freik to his feir c1590 Fowler I 119/50.
By his [sc. the Sun's] swift and rinning course which nothing might restrane

b. Of a thing: Moving swiftly; passing rapidly from place to place. 1533 Boece 155b.
In the are was sene rynnand glemys like fyrie hoistis arrayit for batell

c. Of a person: That is in the process of running. d. Of a dog: ? That runs about unrestrainedly. Cf. late ME rennynge wodenesse, a kind of madness in dogs, characterized by aimless wandering.c. 1594 Colville Lett. 117.
I will not spure a running mand. 1628 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. in Misc. Maitl. C. II 202.
No man sall keip running doggis that runnes fra hous to hous or throw the cuntrie slaeing thair nychtbouris sheip

e. Rinnand boy, a ‘boy’ acting as foot-attendant to a horseman.(a) 1540 Acts II 362/2.
And gif ony man cumis on horsbak … that he incontinent send his hors hame agane with ane rynand [Balfour Pract. 595, rinnand] boy 1609 Reg. Privy C. VIII 307.
[Robert Irwing … was riding without … company] saulffing his rynnane boy(b) 1571 Fam. Rose 259.
With ther hors and rynning boyis

6. a. Of ship's tackle: Capable of moving easily when pulled upon. 1600 Dundee Shipping P. 68.
With gowd saillis, caibellis and ankers and gowd reinning taikell

b. Of a cord: ? With a running noose at one end; ? free to run when hauled upon. c1475 Wall. vii 207.
A rynnand cord thai slewyt our his hed Hard to the bauk and hangyt him to ded

c. Rinnand knot, a knot that moves or slides back and forward; ? a noose. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 395 (T).
They deimit quhat deid it suld die. … The nixt said, In a rynnand knot

7. That slides, or moves, easily. Also attrib. or comb. with bed.(1) 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 226.
Ane plat lok to the chancellary dure with ane grete rynnand slot(2) 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 102.
Ane laych rynnand bed 1623 Edinb. Test. LII 95.
The haill furnitour of ane rinand bed

b. Of a wheel or millstone: That revolves, as on an axis. 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I 137.
Ane rynnand stane of fyve ynsche in the ey and twa ynsche at the syd 1602 Treas. Acc. MS 109.
Ane tymber stule with rynand quheillis to gang in

8. a. Of money: That is current; that has currency. 1469 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 64.
Sex hundrith markis of vsuale rynnand money of Scotland 1489 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 549.

b. Of parliament: Current (= L. currens).‘A current Parliament … could be summoned to meet on any day during the period for which currency was given; such period might be limited or might extend indefinitely until the dissolution of the Parliament’ (R. S. Rait The Parliaments of Scotland (1924) 330).(a) 1546 Acts II 467/1.
This rynnand parliament Ib. 478/1.
In hir rynnand parliament to be haldin … the pennult day of Julij nixtocum 1584 Reg. Privy C. III 666.
This present rynnand parliament(b) 1585 Acts III 382/1.
In this our rinning parliament 1603 Moysie 50.
Sundrie noblemen wer wreyttin for to be at the parliament then appoynted, quhilk wes called a rynning parliament(c) 1663 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 254.
With the advyce of this present runnant parliament

c. Of a term or season: Current; in progress at the present time. 1669 Gunn Cross Kirk, Peebles 199.
For boarding a bairn this running quarter

9. Of a cask: ? Fitted with some device to allow wine to be drawn in small quantities. 1610 Brechin Test. II 90.
Thair is sum laikage with tua laiche ryninge penis of Frensche wyne

10. In post-positional use, applied to a period of time: In succession.First recorded use in OED from Ramsay (1719). 1642 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 37.
Quhairin giff he failȝies tua termes rinning togidder the said tack to expyre