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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BEHAUD, BEHAD(E), v. Sc. form of Eng. behold with uses as in Eng.; also a group of Sc. usages. [bə′hɑ(:)d Sc.; bə′hǫ:d em. and wm.Sc. See P.L.D. §§ 85, 93.]

A. Usages as in Eng.

1. To look at, to see.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 11:
If ye behaud a herrin' cart, or see a sweetie stand.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 87:
Behad the bees whare'er they wing.

2. pa.p. behauden, behadden, behaddit, behudden, behau'd (reduced form), indebted to, like Eng. beholden. Gen.Sc.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Du's been weel behadden ta me.Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Sel. from Writings 31:
I've been a hoosehadder fu' fifty year, Baith wife an' widow, an' behau'd to nane.em.Sc. (a) 1895 “I. Maclaren” Auld Lang Syne 168:
There's no a body in the glen but is behaddit tae ye.Lth. 1920 A. Dodds Songs of the Fields 3:
And tae him we're behauden Far mair than we can tell.Gsw. 1934 (per. Slg.³):
The pudding is muckle behudden [bə′hʌdn] to the sauce.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 198:
I daresay, we war mair behauden to some ill e'e an' fause heart, than either short night or moon light.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 41:
Nae mair behadden to sic swankies, As, deils or witches, for their prankies. [O.Sc. behaldin, behauden, beholden, (1) bound to do something; (2) bound or obliged to a person. First quot. in D.O.S.T. is 1456.]

B. Sc. usages. v., tr. and intr.

1. To hold back. Imper. phr. behaud ye, not so fast, hold on, have patience.Sc. 1712 Letters from Prof. Blackwell in Spalding Club Misc. (1841) I. 212:
But, for my oun part, till once an expresse come to the English Court, I design (as they phrase it in our country) to behade.Mry.(D) 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 89:
Behad a wee, Ye'll shortly see Me rax my neck, and craw.Abd. [1768] A. Ross Helenore (1866) 149:
If she a toumon be behadden yet, Ye'se get your will, quo' he.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 8, 97:
But, behaud ye. Though thae folk may think that, Marget's nane o' yer folk wha sails sae laich. . . . 'We're no juist sae comfortable, Princie, as gin we'd been at hame; but juist behaud ye, laddie: we'll ging hame rejoicin this very nicht for a' that' quo I to Princie.Per. c.1824 Songs of Lady Nairne (ed. C. Rogers 1869) 104:
How safe and sound lay Scotland's crown, Behad, I'm gaun to tell, sir.Ayr.² 1914.

2. Leave off.Abd. 1879 G. Macdonald Sir Gibbie I. vi.:
Ance I'm begun, there's nae mair thoucht o' endeevourin' to behaud (withhold) till I canna drink a drap mair.

3. Recognise (development of behold, to see).Ags. 1894 J. Inglis in Bnffsh. Jnl. (29 May) 2:
“Ou aye!” said the farmer very drily. “I behaud ye noo — wisna yer mither henwife at Dun?”

4. Warrant, maintain.Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
“I'll behad he'll do it”; “I'll behad her she'll come.”

5. “To view with an eye of watchfulness, scrutiny, or jealousy” (Sc. 1825 Jam.²).Bnff.² 1934:
Thinks I “Ma mannie, I'se jist behad ye for a fyle t' see foo far a lenth ye'll gang.”Abd.⁴ 1929:
Behad, to watch surreptitiously.Ags.² 1934:
“I juist behuid 'er,” Let her go on, taking it all in, combining the senses of watch, await, permit.