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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
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War(r)and, n. Also: war(r)ande, -ant, uarrande, var(r)and, varande, varrant, war(r)end, varrent, werrand, ver(r)and, wairand, -ant, vairand, warran(e, waren, quarrente, (warnt). [ME and e.m.E. warant (a1225), warand (Cursor M.), warande (c1440), warrant (a1513), waran (a1600), warrande (1635), OF warant, warand, MLG warend, warent.]

1. A protector, one who is guardian of the safety or well-being of another. Also in reference to God as a protector. 1375 Barb. ii 505.
In commownys may nane affy Bot he that may thar warand be a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 280.
This worthy knycht ay nere-hande, To be hyre helpe & hyre warande ?1438 Alex. i 2404.
Thay may say I am euill warrand To thame that he defoullis sua ?1438 Alex. ii 6331.
Marciane … With him held to the citte, For he his warrand weill may be c1475 Wall. ix 292.
Your captane sall pas to the king with me, Throu help off God I sall his warrand be c1475 Wall. ix 1004.
Cum in till ws, I sall thi warrand be In contrar him, and all King Eduuardis mycht a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 908.
The theife … said to Crist … 'Gif thou be king quhilk rignes in this land, Be to thi self and als till ws warand' 1567 G. Ball. 111.
Had not the Lord bene our warrand … Thay had us all on liue deuorit 1600 Colville Palinode 30.
A father to orphelings, a warrand to wedowes

2. a. (A place of) security, safety or shelter. b. The protection given by a person or place; also a safeguard, protection from weapons, etc.Also to hald to warrand, to keep in safety, protect.a., b. 1375 Barb. vi 424.
Thai that saw sa sudandly That folk come egyrly prekand Rycht betuix thame and thar warand [C. varrand] 1375 Barb. x 458.
The tother fled to sek warand 1375 Barb. xiii 434 (C).
The craggis all helit war … Of thame that, for strinth of that sted, Thiddirward till warrande fled 1375 Barb. xiii 720.
God graunt that thai that cummyn ar … hald the folk weill to warand … as in hys tyme did he [sc. Robert the Bruce] 1375 Barb. xiv 112 (C).
All the cattale of the land War drawin thidder to warrand ?1438 Alex. i 1356.
His suord was drawin in his hand, Agane his dynt had nocht warrand ?1438 Alex. i 2188.
Thay withdrew thame to warrand ?1438 Alex. ii 2624.
I had bene slane withoutin faill … Na war he, with sword in hand, Come for to make me warrand ?1438 Alex. ii 4522.
He gart thame fle … And syne for warrand come to the wall c1420 Wynt. v 3038.
Thai that chast war off thaire land, Come till Constantyn till warand ?1438 Alex. i 2021.
Thay wist, and he war away, That thay of deid had na warrand c1475 Wall. x 500.
This day thow art with our power our set, Agayn ȝon king warrand thow may nocht get 1513 Doug. xi xvii 9.
The chiftanys … Socht to warrand on horsbak a1578 Pitsc. I 235/1.
He … bad this Dutchman lyght frome his horse … schawand to him ane horse is bot ane waik warand quhene men hes maist ado 1596 Dalr. II 119/11.
That nane of Ingland entir into Scotland … without his kingis lettres for his defence and warran 1587-99 Hume 172/169.
Ye pretend perhappes scripture and antiquitie, for your warrand and defence

3. A guarantor; a person who stands as surety for another. Also const. that clause.See also Skene Reg. Maj. i 14a.(1) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 152.
He sal nem his warand & he sal tel in quhat province his varand is that he beand present the mut sal proced 14.. Acts I 50/2.
Gif he that is challangyt of catal stollyn of reft allegis til his warand ony man that wonnys betuen Spey and Forth he … sal haf fra that day xv days to bring his warand … to that ilke stede 1464–5 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 60.
The said Alexander had allegit oure soueran lorde tobe warant til him 1488 Acta Aud. 116/2.
The lordis ordanis that he haue lettrez to call his werrand to the said day 1491–2 Acta Conc. I 231/2.
To call the airis or executouris … or ony vtheris personis that plesis him for his verandis 1499 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 99.
The said Robert sall bring agane that day John Slevman walcar for his varande 1508–9 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 79.
The said Williame allegit Mastir Gilbert Leitht his warand ande askit the shireff ane lauchfull day to be askit to him to bring his said warand to defend him in the premissis 1513 Doug. xii iii 103.
I sall the warrand and the wyrkar be To mak thé baldly vndertak [L. auctor ego audendi] 1521 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 62.
Pait Smyth … tuk the helter of the said hors, allegit he com to [him] rychtusly boucht fra Woll Chepman, and askit xv daye to produce his warand the said Wolliem Chepman 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. MS 9a.
He hes desyrit ane day to caw his varand 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. 135a.
Intimatione publict to the said Archbald to call his varrand within the said day as efferis vndir perell of pondyng & conprising of his guds c1575 Balfour Pract. 320.
Ane beand callit and persewit for the singil and doubil avail of his mariage, may leasumlie call ony persoun for his warrand, quha is bund and oblist to warrand him thairanent 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 78.
Quhen he hes produced his warant at the day assigned to him; he sall be quite of the challenge of that thing, and the warant sall answere, as he sould haue answered … swa sall be done, vntill the third warant, and na farther; and the third warnt, sal answere preceislie to the challenger 1622-6 Bisset I 171/15, 16.
The pairtie defender … suld denunce the pley to his warrand and intimate to him the dependence theirof to the effect that the warrand gif he pleis may concur with the defender and defend with him in the cause aganis the persewer a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 108.
The defender should have ane day to call his warrand, albeid wrong hes no warrand (ut vulgo) becaus it is not yet knowen to be wrong or spuilȝe and the alleadget warrand may have good defenses unknown to the defender(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2156.
Wend quhen ȝe will, I dar be warrand now That ȝe sall de na suddand deith this day

4. a. (Official or formal) authorisation or permission (to do or for something). Also proverb. and fig.b. A document giving such authorisation. c. ? transf.An account or ? a formal authorisation of some sort regarding debts.Very common in the 17th c. ?12… Liber Melros 680.
[Et warantiam ipsius terre sine aliqua lite uel controuersia seu strepitu judiciali super nos recipiemus 13… Liber Melros 331.
Confirmacionem et warantiam … super terra de Pittillishouch quam magister Willelmus de Grenlau eisdem contulit 13… Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 171.]
Vobis precipimus … satisfaciatis … Ade episcopo … de secundis decimis debitis eidem … presentes litteras pro warandaa., b. (1) 14.. Acts I 108/2.
Nane indytyt sal be essonȝeit … in his mutis for til be haldyn bot allanerly he be in the kyngis service & thar apon he sal present the kyngis lettyr for his warand 1448 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 114.
It is our wil that thai be nocht fawtit … absence fra our said justice airis haldinge thir lettres for ȝour warrande a1500 Adv. MS 25. 4. 15 fol. 95, 96.
Gif the tenand sa infefft perchas the breff of warand of the charter hingand the assis anent his infeffour or his ayris 1510 Exch. R. XIII 279 n.
Ye insert the copy of this oure discharge in oure said chekkir rollis for your warand of the saidis fermis, dewiteis, and twenti pundis forsaidis 1566 Facs. Nat. MSS III li.
Keipand this our precepe for your varrant 1574 Conv. Burghs I 27.
For testefeing of thair honestie and estait … all schippis passing to the pairtis foirsaidis … haif for thair warrand the coquet of the … poirt quhairfra thay pas 1593 Conv. Burghs I 400.
In respect of his refuis foirsaid … the saidis commissioneris suspendis all warrand quhilk he can pretend of the burrowis 1600-1610 Melvill 144.
Wherupon the meassar gettes acces giffes him the charge, with his warrand a1605 Montg. Sonn. xiv 11.
With, not without ȝour warrand, ȝit I went 1608 Conv. Burghs II 257.
The commissioner of … Lynlithgow to bring … the gadge of the furlett with the warrandis quhilk the said brugh hes concerning the samyn jadge c1610 Melville Mem. 66.
They haue obtenit of me a warrant to put thee in ward; bot I sall mend it with a contrary command 1617 Acts IV 540/2.
The constables within everie parochin salbe executaris off the preceptis ande warrandis off the justice of peace 1621 Acts IV 621/2.
That no act of reuocatioun or renunceatioun be resavit by judiciall compeirance without a warrand in wreat 1622-6 Bisset I 154/14.
That na bill nor warrand, quhilk passis nocht the signet be past, deliverit nor direct to ony officer of armes 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 85.
No man can be apprehended but ane warrand 1633 Inverness Rec. II 170.
By all order, warrand or licience haid or obteinit thairto they haif biggit and buildit barnes [etc.] c1650 Spalding I 152.
Thay went on furiouslie be thair persuasioun in defens of this covenant, without the Kingis warrand or auchtoritie 1697 Greyfriars Interments 115.
Margaret; warrant; hers; Heriot tomb(b) 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 159.
I desyres yow to wrett to me quhan occasione serve as yor warend caries(c) a1508 Want of Wyse Men 49 (Bann.).
Now wrang hes warrane, and law is bot wilfulnes 1596 Dalr. II 130/26.
The kings lettres, quhilkes tha had for thair warran 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 158.
To give the towne of Aberdeine all customes conforme to ther waren granted to them(d) 1596 Perth Guildry 549.
Hering allowing and dissalowing of the gild compt of Patrik Blair … efter diligent reding thairoff and collationnating of the sam with his vairandis fand the sam gud and sufficient 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 235.
The lyke instrucsionis wer not gewin him be the Lord Cancellar for his wairant(e) 1629 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 220.
The minister … culd not gett sik quarrente to punishe the prophaners of the Sabbothe in tyme of draife … thair being so many delinquents(f) 1489 Acts II 214/1.
Halding thar our lettrez subscriuit with our hand for ȝour werrand writtin at Edinburgh the vj day of Februare [etc.]proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 865. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 108 (see also 3 (1) above).
Wrong hes no warrand (ut vulgo)fig. a1599 Rollock Wks. I 310.
This evident … is written and ingraft in thy hart. Now quhen extremitie is threatned, it is time to seik thy warrands of this heavinlie inheritance(2) 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 249.
This present ordinance salbe sufficient warrand to thame to pas the saidis commissionis upoun 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 214.
He had a wairand to stay the lieutennent to come fordwart 1627 Aberd. Council Lett. I 263.
That yow caus delyver … sex … demiculverene … to be redelyvered whene it sall pleis us to caus requyre the same for doing whereof this present sall be unto yow ane sufficient warrand 1627 Aberd. Council Lett. I 271.
It hes pleased his Maiestie to send me a varrent with a command to gif you sax pices of ordinance 1637 Baillie I 7.
He hes obtained from the king a new warrand for the dounsitting of that commissione 1664 Salmon Borrowstounness 74.
A warrant for coming ashore and livering the goods in the said ships 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 234.
The councill … grants warrand to … William Carmichaell to inlarge the saids chops in such maner as nether the lights of the old kirk nor the south door … to the same be prejudged 1686 Acts VIII 611/2.
Warrand for a bore brieve to Charles Colbert Marques of Seignelay 1689 Falkirk Par. Rec. I 250.
We … doe, be thir presents give full power, warrand, and commission to the hammermen … to visit [etc.] 1690 Misc. Spald. C. II lxv.
A Commission … to issue out warrands for citing of parties upon fifteen free dayes, to … finally decide in planting of vacant churchesc. 1609 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 101.
Debtis awin me … Petir Brown 22 lib. [etc.] … My verrand with George Auchinlek and James Renkyn … restis xx merkis

5. Justification or authority for an action or belief. Chiefly, in relation to the word of God. c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 116.
Few wrytys I redy fande That I couth drawe to my warande c1590 Fowler II 56/17.
Thir examples can na wayis serue for your images, vnles thou find me a sure warrand out of Gods worde, commanding them 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 77.
Givand that they had a warrand of their calling in the book of God, yit they handle the sacrament all wrang 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 78/7.
Making thaire awin imaginations uithout any uarrande of the uorde the squaire to thaire conscience 1587-99 Hume 176/365.
Ye wer eschamed … to be called lordis … whiche wes a takin ye had no guid warrand in your conscience for it a1599 Rollock Wks. I 316.
The assurances and warrands quhilk the apostle hes of the glory of the lyfe to cum 1620 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 106b (5 April).
The sessioun … finding that maner off tryell off thift till hawe no warrend in the word of God nor in the ciuill lawis nether to hawe any ground in natuir or ressone 1638 Bk. Pasquils 51.
From fasting one the Lords auen day, Fasting without wairand, I say … Almighty God deliver us 1650 Short Reply Unto Declaration of the Army of England 6.
We think they have as little shew of any warrand from God ?1665 M. Bruce Six Dreadful Alarms 19.
They are ay abusing him for going to preach in that place and … where they thought he had no warrand to gang and preach 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet 22.
All the ill-turns that they do, they father them … upon the Bible and makes ay the Bible their warrand