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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stand, n. Also: stande, staund, stond, sta(i)ne. [ME and e.m.E. stand (Cursor M.), stond (Wyclif); Stand v.]

I. 1. A set of vestments; an outfit or suit of clothes or armour. Also with uninfl. pl.(1) 1454 Old Dundee II 13.
A stand of vestments of claith of gold, with tonakils, albs, and the lave perteining thereto 1471 Acta Aud. 12/2.
The compleite stand of harnes quhilk he borowit & resauit fra the said Adam 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII 30.
Twa stand of harnes with gluvis and hogingis 1564 Hamilton & Campsie Test. I 63.
My new hois, reyd dowblet, and ane stand or gang of my ilk day claythis 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 209.
Ane new garment and stand of claythis of the townis liveray to thair lokman 1586 Edinb. Test. XV 218b.
To gif the said Johne ȝeirlie ane stand of his cassin or worne claythtis 1586-7 Acc. Lady Bellenden 2.
To be a stand of clathis to the said Mr. Thomas sax els half of fyne burret 1590 Mill Mediæv. Plays 201.
xvij stand of hie land menis claithis 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI 193.
The said Johne lewis … to … his sone … sax peisis of claythtis nixt his best stand of claythtis 1594 Haigh Mining P. xv.
Ane stand of clothis … viz. ane cloik coat pair of breikis and schankis with ane hatt 1605 Black Bk. Taymouth 341.
Off corslettis with collaris and murrionis … v stand 1607 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 21 Sept.
To Robert Broun, ane stand of claithis, viz. ane jowp of blak grey, & ane dowblet & ane pair of breiks of blak fustane 1617 Sutherland Bk. II 132.
Ane stand of haliedayis cleis … vith the furnising, cloik, dovbillet, coit, brekis, and schankis 1639 Edinb. Test. LIX 59.
My best stand or sute of blak cloithes viz. cloik doublett breikis and schankis 1640 Black Bk. Taymouth 348.
Ane stand of blak horsmens airmes, … contening … ane craig peice, ane breist peice, [etc.] c1650 Spalding II 456.
Thay had tirrit from of his bodie ane ritche stand of apparrell 1679 Peebles B. Rec. II 96.
Every burges … to provyd … ane stand of sufficient armes … and to be ready to randevouze upon Tueid-green(b) 1591 Misc. Spald. C. III 160.
Item, sextein staine of fyne mas cloathis of cloath of gold, [etc.](2) 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 19.
Four stand harnes 1585 Edinb. Test. XIV 227.
To the said James Henrysoun the foirsaid stand claithis of ledder 1597–8 Dundee Treas. Acc.
For ane stand klois

b. Const. of the material of which the garments are made.Freq. of ecclesiastical vestments. For further information see Coll. St. Salvator 122-3. c1500 Coll. St. Salvator 152.
Off haill standis In the fyrst of rede claith of gold 1 stand, Item of blew claith of gold 1 stand [etc.] … Of syngill standis Item in the fyrst of red vellowis 1 stand Item of red satyn figurit 1 syngill stand … Item of bleu worsat ij s. standis [etc.] 1506 Treas. Acc. III 281.
xvj hankis gold deliverit to Nannik, broudstar, for ane stand of purpur wellus 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 415.
To Johnne Ȝoung for making of ane stand of claith of gold to the chapell 1549–50 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 197.
Ane hail compleit stand of blak damais pro missis defunctorum contenand ane chessabill ij tunykkillis vith thar albis [etc.] 1555 Crail Ch. Reg. 64. 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II 71.
The greit stand of dames of the hie alter 1559 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I xc.
Item, a mort stand of black damas 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III 60.
James Curll … delyuerit to thame the preist, dekin, subdekin, caip, abbas, and the rest, compleitand the haill stand of clayth of gold a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 39.
This Ladie gave … to the kirk of Seytoun … ane compleit stand of purpule veluat 1584 St. A. Test. II 38.
Ane stand of tartane for the werk day price thairof xxvij s. viij d. 1594 Misc. Spald. C. V 58.
Gevin for ane stand of reid staming to Androw Inglis, swescheman, 9 lib. 7 s. 6 d. 1641 Elgin Rec. II 240.
The session give a poore boy … a stand of Scotes gray with a pair of hose and schoone

c. With omission of prep. phr. 1493 Misc. Bann. C. II 26.
Vnum magnum reparamentum, viz. a stande, viz. vna cappa cum casula et duabus tunicis cum tribus albis [etc.] … ; quod quidem reparamentum, Anglice a stande [etc.] 1506 Treas. Acc. III 81.
For making of the hale stand, stole and fannoun and all graith 1507 Edinb. Hammermen 61.
For vj quarteris lynyne to be twa emettis … ane … to the quhit stand 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 337.
To mend the kapis and the blew welvet stands 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II 70.
Bukren to lyne the apparalingis of twa standis at the hie alter 1574 Treas. Acc. XII 386.
iiij unce blak silk cordonis to this stand 1597 Bk. Rates 56.
Harnes the stand 1611 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 86.
iij s. iij d. for a schuitting stand deduceand x s. therof for quhyte claith

d. transf. Appar., cloth, ? suiting of some sort. 1570–1 Waus Corr. 74.
Halie ok halie quartor of oncaimet staund, with halie ok halie quhair of woolat staund, with iiij pound of hard confomme to yowr wryte 1618 Edinb. Test. L 164.
Tuentie thrie elnis … silk growgraine and stand a far at tuelff schillingis the elne

2. A set of objects more generally; specif. those items required for a particular purpose; specific numbers (a dozen, etc.) of items of a particular sort; series of utensils, etc. of different sizes and the like. Also with uninfl. pl. 1513 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS App. 418/2.
All the haill stand of the mes except the book 1516 Fam. Rose 187.
Twa hale stand of dornwik small napry 1527 Treas. Acc. V 304.
For iij lokkis to ij standis of cofferis 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 28.
For ane stand of knyfis deliverit to George Hoppringill of the pantre 1533 Edinb. B. Rec. II 65.
Ane penny of ilk dakyr of barkit leddir, and of ilk stand of maid stuf … that beis brocht … to be sauld 1533–4 Treas. Acc. VI 185.
To ane stand of bellis for the kingis son 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 270.
Thre stand of small lyning clayth 1578 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 63.
For twelf stand of cairtis to be tikketis 1582 Edinb. Test. X 288b.
Ane stand of ches men with the brod thairof 1600 Treas. Acc. MS 39.
Tuelf stand of knappis to the said dosan of naipkins 1609 Edinb. Test. XLV 232.
Aucht stand of knip irone 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 111.
For paper ink and sex stand of counters to lay and mak thir comptis with 1630 Banff Ann. I 64.
Ane merchandis pack … 12 d.; ane chopmanis pack … 6 d.; ane blaksmythis stand 8 d.; ane load of wricht wark 2 s. [etc.] 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Item in the wardrop thrie stand of curtains ane of grein camblet [etc.] … ane uther stand of curtains abowt the ministers band [? erron. for bed] 1640 Innes Sketches 510.
Off arras work hingings ii stand, conteining xi peices, and of common hingings, iiii stand, conteining xvi peice 1652 Edinb. Test. LXVI 84b.
Ane stand ane half of plaitt tine 1659 Glasgow B. Rec. II 426.
For ane trone stand of bras weights to the toune and ane buist to keep them in 1660 Wedderburn Bk. II 44.
Ane stand of stowpes comprehending ane quart pynt, chopin and mutskin stoups 1664 Inv. MS (Reg. H.).
Ane stand of kylls 1670 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 30 Sept.
I leive to the Ladie Balmeghie twa pair of sheits and ane stand of lint 1679 Peebles B. Rec. II 96.
Every burges … to provyd … ane stand of sufficient armes, to witt, ane pick and ane sword, or ane musket and fyrelock

b. ? A team (of horse, cart, etc.). c1560 Corr. M. Lorraine 442.
Ane precept commandand the keparis of your grace hors and cartis to lend stanis for redding of the gravellis and to leid your grace tymmer furtht

3. A set of measures whose parts, appar., make up all the measures for a particular commodity. Also attrib. with mesoure.(a) 1550 Breadalbane Doc. No. 73.
Ane vther firlott of the samyn stand foirsaid 1550 Black Bk. Taymouth 405.
He payand thairfor yeirlie … fourtie aucht bollis gude … victuale mett with ane iust firlott brount with the stand of Perth 1551–2 Dundee B. Ct. II 141b (17 March).
To caus the fermouris of the castell [myln] to mak thare mesoure conforme to the commone stand 1577 Crail B. Ct. 26 May.
[To deliver 4 bolls of beir] within the burgh off Craile with the commone mett and stand thairoff 1578 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 60.
Thrie chalderis bair frile to be delyuerit in the toun of the Newburcht with the common stand of Couper of Fyff or with sic stand and meser as the chamerlane of Lundoris resawis then for meis and teindis of the … abbacie 1587 Acts III 521/2.
That the same … comptrolment be obseruit … and first hes fund the eln and stand therof committit to Edinburgh contening threttie sevin insches 1587 Montrose Baillie Ct. 34b (4 July).
Fywe barrellis salmound … of the stand & mwssour of Montros 1596 Conv. Burghs I 477.
That the said land mesour … salbe maid and vsit … conforme to the stand and mesour of the furlott of Lynlythquow 1662 Peebles B. Rec. II 52.
John Murray, wright, to make weying stone weychtes, … the saids stones being first … weichted be the custome stone or tounes stand(b) 1593 Conv. Burghs I 414.
Coupar and Sanct Androis to reforme … thair mettis of pect and furlott, and to conforme the samyn to the stane of Linlithquowattrib. 1586 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 475.
That nane … vse any stowppis [etc.] … bot sic as agreand to the awld and greitt stand mesoure of this burgh

II. 4. A place for standing in, a position, station; also, space to stand in, accommodation (for horses). See also Wattirstand n. b. fig. A position (taken up with regard to something). c. proverb. An instance of standing.(a) a1500 Sir Eger 2177.
I dread the steeds they are the ware, But they get meat, and noble stand 1513 Doug. v vi 56.
Thar placis haue thai tane, And fra thai hard the takyn, … Richt swyftly on thar rasys gan thai tak; The stand thai leif, and flaw furth with a crak 1513 Doug. xii iii 39.
And eftir that the trumpet blew a syng, Than euery partyment bownys to thar stand 1544 Reg. Cupar A. II 225.
Ane ele ark, and the stand thairof 1591–2 Reg. Great S. 697/1.
Cum arca anguillarum et loco ejusdem (lie eill-ark and stand thairoff)(b) 1524 Stirling B. Rec. I 20.
The … ballies hais promisit to deliver and draw the best stagis that cumin in the stond to Wille Aysounb. 1593 Acts IV 49/1.
The multitude of diuers sortis of money … current without ony certane stand or cry 1604 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 61.
Put me to sum solid stand, that I may be quit of thair cummer ?1672 M. Bruce Sermon in Edinb. Tolbooth 8.
Every new trouble puts us to seek a stance again, though we seem'd to be footing a stand beforec. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 382.
Better is schort sit, nor lang stand

5. A stall or counter for the display and sale of goods. Also attrib. with roume. 1505 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 105.
Ilk land … haiffand flesche on stokkis or buirdis in the merkit to sell to pay ilk Mononday a half penny for dechting of thair standis 1508 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 114.
That … thai sall haif thair stall and standis weill tentit with fair canves and thair flesche thair offerit to sell to be coverit 1523–4 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 217.
At na buirdis nor standis be fundin on the Hiegaitt … with cheis, eggis, butter 1537 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 86.
That na maner of cramers … cum within the Tolbuith to sell ony maner of merchandice, nor sett stands thairin 1551 Old Dundee II 305.
That all cramers, … come to the kirkyaird … and big their stands and tents there 1554 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 7 Feb.
That na maner of standis and cramis be sett on the hie gait … ony day of the owk, except on the Setterday 1558 Glasgow Cordiners 250.
Stande a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlviii 88.
Ȝet mon I tak hansell To pay my buth maill and my stand 1582 Prot. Bk. G. Fyiff 28b.
Ane commoune mercat haldine of fische, tymmer, and chapmane standis 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V 30.
That the rowmes of the stands in the clayth merkett suld pay [etc.] 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V 132. 1600 Stirling Merch. Guild 15.
They sall haif na tyleit stands nor flaiks foreanent their stands, except ane burd of half ane ell braid a1605 Birrel Diary 30.
The chapmans standis and stuillis came sweming doune the streit … lyke as they had beine selling doune the vater 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 25 Jan.
That staikis of great timmer be sett wp in the mouthis of the kirk vennellis; … that na hors with standis nor cairtis get passage thairat 1621 Conv. Burghs III 113.
For euerie fute of length of ane merchand stand, tua pennyes 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 270.
Ane bolt … infixt in the foirsyd wall on ilk syd of the said John Stevinsones booth doore to denotat … the space of bounds appoynted on the said foirwall, for haveing of standis … to hauld … merchandries 1669 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 254.
For better … accomodatione of the fish merkat … to caus erect and make wp certane stands of timberattrib. 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V 297.
For hous maill and stand rowme of ilk seck or laid of victuall 1617 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 165.
Ilk pudding wyfe to pay to the thesaurer of this burgh for hir stand roume 1641 Stirling Chart. 149.
Pro stationum locis et aularum censibus, lie stand roume et hall maill

6. A container, chiefly, appar., large, usu. for liquids; freq. in use in brewing as a fermentation vessel; also, occas. as a storage vessel for dry goods, meat, etc. See also Wort n.¹ for further examples.Quot. c1643 may belong in sense 3 above. 1488 Acta Aud. 120/1.
Thre fattis j gret barell viij standis vj rubbowris 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 144.
Ane vort stand, ane dry vair, ane vater stand, ane barrell that thai leid vatter in 1562 Will A. Betoun 225.
Item vj dry war standys and twa dry war barrilis 1570 Peebles B. Rec. I 320.
Tubbis, standis, bukkatis 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 90.
The barm of the said Katherins aill past ay to the boddum of the stand 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 33.
For a burne stand and tua laidgallenis to draik the lyme with 1622 Falkirk Par. Rec. I 32.
Ane virt stand or tub quharin was small drink 1643 Dumfries Test. I 125.
Of tume treis, standes, bottis and uther barrellis c1643 Rothes P. MS.
Four girdis to the lyme stand 1644 Justiciary Cases III 639.
Sweating … as gif he had bene in ane stand full of hot water 1644 Ruthven Corr. 88.
In the lardners, arkes, meill standeis [etc.] 1644 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 44.
A brew fatt with the kimming stands 1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
We tak a litle … owt of each barrell or stand of eall 1665 St. Ninians Session Rec. in M. J. Robb Scotch Whisky (1951) 14.
The witnesses … saw the caldron on the fyre, and a stand reiking 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 366.
In the laidner … 3 beif stands. A lesser beif stand. 7 lids for them of timber 1696 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
7 bolls salt in barralls being good oaik stands

7. Instances not clearly attributable to senses 1, 2, 5 or 6 above. 1489 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. II 95.
Of the wrangus takin of hir guyd, that is to say a stand 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 176.
The cellair witht Item xix bellis ij standis [etc.] 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Ane firren furme and ane stand in the wardrop 1679 Torry Coal & Salt Wks. 36b.
For 4 pund of garran naills to the stands

8. To put or bring to a stand, to be at a (some) stand, to bring to a halt, to be at a standstill, chiefly fig. or in fig. context, hence, to be caught in a dilemma. 1639 Johnston Diary Ia 44.
If once they get fitting it will not be easie to bring them to a stand 1653 Binning Wks. 301.
A soul that is at a stand, and can neither get forward … nor will retire backward a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 208.
When they are wanting, proceeding may … be at the greater stand and non-entry a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 293.
When angels are at a stand in the mediators praise, what must be our insutablenesse in expressing of the same? a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 335.
That learned author, otherwise most acute in everything, yet here is at some stand, whether [etc.] a1658 Durham Clavis Cantici 305.
This first particular may put us to a stand, when (as it were) the bride is at a stand in the commendation 1660 Wodrow Hist. I (1828) 40.
Yet I am tossed in my thoughts about it since, which I communicated to Crawford and Lauderdale; and they are at a stand in it a1681 Cargill Lecture and Sermon 5.
Wad ye know when the reformation began to be at a stand or stay, it was that day when we took the malignant party by the hand 1684 Erskine Diary 92.
This put me to a stand, least being called before rulers I should fail one way or the other 1689 Dunlop P. III 52.
I never hard from you save once good Sir this makes me at a stand what to think 1695 Acts IX 412/2.
Yet the forsaid register and locked books were not filled up bot have been at a stand since the forsaid year