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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GOUN, n., v. Gen.Sc. form and usages of Eng. gown. See P.L.D. § 40. Also goun (Sc. 1711 Earls of Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 282; wm.Sc. 1868 Laird of Logan 306), ¶goown (Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xxiii.). [gun]

I. n.

Sc. form of Eng. gown, a dress.1925 Hugh MacDiarmid Complete Poems (1993) ?:
Mars is braw in crammasy,
Venus in a green silk goun,Sc. 1995 James S. Adam New Verses for an Auld Sang 12:
I'll bide nae mair the raggit loon,
nae mair o glaikit scrimpit parin,
young Scotia bricht in braw new goun
will breist the braes wi eident bearin

Sc. usages:

1. A nightgown, a night-shirt. Gen.Sc. Common in dim., esp. when referring to a child's bed garment. Obs. in literary Eng. since 18th c.Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 70:
When they hae put on their gownies The dreamland o' slumber to seek.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 26:
An' noo cam, toddlin' in his goonie, Cock-rosy Jim, the waukrife loonie. Edb. 1995:
Gie me the bairn's goonie ower!

2. In phr. and combs.: (1) blue gown, see separate art. s.v.; †(2) gown-alane, of a woman: lit. with her gown only, hence fig. without a dowry; (3) goon an' ban's, see Ba(a)nd, n.¹, 1. (2); †(4) gown class, in Glasgow Univ.: one of the classes qualifying a student for the Arts degree (see quot.); †(5) gown curriculum, the full curriculum for such a degree, entitling the student to wear the gown of the Faculty; ¶(6) gownsman, a licensed beggar, a wearer of (1). Appar. only in Stevenson; †(7) gown scholar, -student, see 1775 quot. and cf. (5) and II.; (8) red gown, see Red.(2) Abd. 1759 F. Douglas Rural Love 20:
Your dother ye sud gie to nane, Who wadna tak her gown-alane.(4) Gsw. 1779 Bursaries Coll. Gsw. (M.C.) 180:
The bursary . . . to continue the five years he attends the several gown classes, and the first year he attends the Divinity Hall.Gsw. 1839 J. B. Hay Inaugural Addresses Pref. xxxi.:
This meeting consists of a limited number of the members of the College, the Principal and the five Professors of the Gown Classes, viz., the Professors of Humanity, Greek, Logic, and Moral and Natural Philosophy.(5) Gsw. 1842 Children in Trades Report ii. i. 20:
The master . . . went thence to the college, there four years, where he went through what is called the “gown curriculum”.(6) Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xv.:
For our lowland beggars — even the gownsmen themselves, who beg by patent — had a louting, flattering way with them, and if you gave them a plack and asked change, would very civilly return you a boddle.(7) Gsw. 1727 Munimenta Univ. Gsw. (M.C.) II. 570:
The time of the general matriculation of Gown Students shall be upon the lawfull day immediately before the election of the Rector; . . . the Students who are not gown scholars, shall, upon their being matriculated, faithfully promise to attend their respective Colleges and studies for the space of three months at least.Gsw. 1775 Declarator Revenues Gsw. College (1778) 27:
A Gown Student in the said University, that is to say, a matriculated student who wears a red gown, and belongs to the Public Latin, or Public Greek, or Public Logic, or Public Ethic, or Public Physic, Class; who does the exercises of one or other of these respective classes; whose name is in the common hall catalogue, and who attends in the common hall on Saturdays, and at other times appointed for discipline.Slg. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XV. 372:
There are in this parish, three students of divinity, one preacher and two gown students.

II. v. Ppl.adj. gowned, in combs. †gowned class, — students, (a class for) matriculated students in Glasgow Univ., intending to take the full course for a degree. Cf. I. 2. (7) above.Gsw. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XXI. App. 43:
Every Saturday there is a general meeting of all the public, or gowned students, which is attended by the Principal and their respective Professors.Gsw. 1839 J. B. Hay Inaugural Addresses Lord Rectors Pref. xxix.:
The Faculty of Arts comprehends the Professors of Latin or Humanity, Greek, Logic, Ethics, and Natural Philosophy. They preside over what are called the Gowned Classes; . . . To the same Faculty may also be referred the Professors of Mathematics, Astronomy, and Natural History, whose lectures, however, do not enter into the curriculum, and whose pupils do not necessarily wear the academic robe.