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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LAND, n., v. Also lan, laan(d), laun(d), launde, lawn; l(y)ant-. [lɑn(d), lǫn(d)]

Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. As in Eng., the earth, soil, country. Phrs. Land o' Cakes, Scotland (in 1732 quot., Buchan). See Cake; Land o' (the) Leal, see Leal.n.Sc. c.1730 E. Burt Letters (1815) II. 245:
The Lowlanders call their part of the country the land of cakes.Abd. c.1732 'View of the Diocese of Aberdeen' in Collections for a History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff (Spalding Club) 91:
It [Buchan] is sometimes called proverbially The Granary of Scotland, and at other times, The Land of Cakes.Sc. 1749 Ld. George Murray in Atholl MSS.:
I wish you all happiness and contentment in the land of cakes, where I assure you my heart is.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 11:
To you, dear sir, far from the Land of Cakes.Abd. 1884 D. Grant Lays 137:
Our sangs ring out, our bumpers rise, Our toast, “The Land o' Cakes!”Highl. 1891 R. S. Fittis Sports and Pastimes of Scotland (1960) 89:
The same sentiment made us open our purses, and give out countrymen wherewithal to drink [to] the "Land o' Cakes".

Sc. combs.: (1) land-biding, remaining in the land, stay-at-home, stable; (2) lan-bool, a large rounded stone taken off the fields (Cai. 1960). See Bool, n.¹, 4; (3) land-birst, -burst, -birth, a succession of breaking waves on the shore at change of tide or during a storm (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.); (4) land-breach, surf. Cf. (3); (5) land-couping, dealing in land. Hence land-couper, one who buys and sells land; (6) Land Court, a court set up by statute in 1911 to adjudicate in all matters arising from the various acts dealing with small-holdings in Scotland; (7) land-dri(v)en, landrien, of snow: drifting, driven along by the wind after it has fallen (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Hence fig. with great speed, in a straight direct course, with a sole express purpose; †(8) land fel(l), lantfael, lyantfail, the flood-tide, the tide which rises to the land (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 136, lyantfail, 1866 Edm. Gl., lantfael, 1908 Jak. (1928)). [Cf. Faer. -fall, tide]; (9) land-folk, country people, rural population; (10) landgate(s), -gaet, landwards, in the direction of the country; (11) land-gutter, a horizontal gutter in a roof-valley (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 942); (12) land-haldin, a landholding, a rented farm; (13) landholder, in Sc. law: a smallholder, a tenant occupying a croft or farm of not more than 50 acres or annual rental of £50; (14) land-ill, some disease, ? ague, epilepsy; (15) land-labourer, one who works on the land as a casual employee; (16) landlash, a deluge of rain with high wind. Cf. Lash, n.¹; (17) landleddie, -lady, as in Eng., a landlady (Sc. 1824 Scott Chron. Canongate iv.); specif. the mistress of a house where one is staying, one's hostess (Ork., Cai., Wgt. 1960). Cf. (19); (18) land-leg, the horizontal beam or sleeper of a jib-crane joining the foot of the post to the foot of the stay (Fif. 1960); (19) landlord, the head of a family where one is a guest, one's host (Ork., Ayr., Wgt. 1960). Cf. (17). Phr. †the landlord's bottle, a bottle of liquor circulated by the host after the first supply for the guests at a party has been exhausted; (20) land-louper, -lowper, one who roams about the country idly or to escape the law, a roving vagabond, an adventurer, a scamp (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also attrib. Hence through back-formation land-louping, ppl.adj., roving, vagabond; (21) land-mail(l), -meal, rent or feu-duty for land paid in Shetland to the Crown or its donatories. Now only hist.; (22) land-market, a market where agricultural produce was bought and sold. Now obs., but the word survives in the Lawnmarket, the name of a street in the old part of Edinburgh. Hence Lawnmarket gazette, a piece of fictitious news circulated in 18th-c. Edinburgh as a joke by some of the clubs; (23) landmaster, a proprietor of land, a landowner (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.). Now only hist. (24) land-meith, a land-mark, a march-stone or other object marking a boundary (Cai. 1960); derivs. land-meither, one who marks out land, one appointed by a corporate body to inspect the boundaries of their property, land-meithing, the inspection of boundaries, the riding of marches. See Meith; (25) land-metster, a land-measurer, a surveyor. Also -metter. See Metster, Mett; (26) land-mouse, the field-vole, Microtus agrestis (Fif., Lth., Ayr., Wgt. 1960); (27) land-quhaup, the curlew (Fif. 1825 Jam.). See Whaup; (28) land-rider, = (24) deriv. For the form -redder, see note to Ride; (29) land-rope, the rope by which a salmon-net is connected with the river-bank. See also (33); (30) land-sea, heavy surf betokening a storm (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; I.Sc., Cai. 1960); (31) land('s)-setting, the letting of land and farms to tenants (Sc. 1880 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor); ‡(32) landsladie, -y, landlady (Ags. 1960). Cf. (17); (33) landsman, the man who operates the landrope of a salmon-net. See (29); (34) land-stale, -stell, -stehl (Gregor), -stool(l), -style, the foundation of a pier of a bridge; the parapet of a bridge (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 99). The variant forms of the second element are prob. due to different origins. Cf. Stale, Steil, Stool, and finger-stuil s.v. Finger, I. 5.; (35) land-stane, a loose stone in the soil turned up in digging or ploughing (Ork., Kcb., Uls. 1960). Also in Eng. dial.; (36) land-tide, the shimmering of light on a hot day; (37) laand-tow, a cable for mooring a boat (Sh. 1960); (38) land-tripper, the sandpiper, Tringa hypoleucos. The form however may be a misprint for sand-tripper; (39) land trow, see Trow; (40) land-waster, a spendthrift, prodigal (Lnk. 1825 Jam.); (41) long land, short —. See 3.(1) wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 120:
We married folks are the 'sponsible and landbiding individuals.(2) Cai. 1916 John o' Groat Jnl. (31 March):
The fire-end or kitchen was first built. No particular dressing was required for the “lan'-bools,” bedded with clay.(3) Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis:
I am very much mistaken if I have not heard the Country People use the word Land birst or Land birth as they corrupted it in this sense, viz. when the Sea makes an unusual roaring, either in a storm, or when the wind blows from the Sea.(4) Ork. 1773 Dmf. Weekly Mag. (2 Nov.) 254:
A fishing boat belonging to Marwick in the parish of Birsay, was overset by the land breach.(5) m.Lth. 1811 H. MacNeill Bygane Times 47:
What now belangs, (as I've heard said,) To some in the Land couping trade.Per. 1830 Perthshire Advert. (25 Feb.):
Land-coupers admiring the knave of clubs till 4 o'clock on Sunday morning.(6) Sc. 1911 Acts 1 & 2 Geo. V. c.49 § 25:
For the purposes of the Landholders Acts, the Land Court shall have full power and jurisdiction to hear and determine all matters, whether of law or fact, and no other court shall review the orders or determinations of the Land Court.Sc. 1928 Sc. Countryside 187:
The Land Court is the successor of the Crofters Commission established in 1886 under the Crofters Act of that year. Created under the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, 1911, it is composed of not more than five persons appointed by His Majesty on the recommendation of the Secretary of State for Scotland [increased to seven in 1948].Sc. 1955 Sc. Independent (31 Dec.):
Since its inception, the Land Court has had a notable history in defending security of tenure among the crofters.(7) s.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
The phrase “like drift land drien,” is often used to denote velocity of motion. He came rinnin landrien, he came running directly, I cam landrien, I came expressly with this or that intention.(9) Ayr. 1891 H. Johnston Kilmallie I. 95:
The land folk 'll get a skelping the day if I dinna misdoubt.(10) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 47:
Land-gates unto the hills she held the gate.Fif. 1894 A. S. Robertson Provost 136:
Ye may jist gae land-gaet back wi' them, then, for ye'll sell nane i' this raw for ready siller.(12) Sc. 1926 Scots Mag. (March) 435:
The fowk are sae rakit an' spuilyit, an' pit frae hoose an' land-haldin', an' sae cest wi' sogery they are made desperit.(13) Sc. 1911 Acts 1 & 2 Geo. V. c.49 § 2:
In the Landholders Acts the word “landholder” means and includes, as from the respective dates above mentioned, every existing crofter, every existing yearly tenant, every qualified lease-holder, and every new holder, and the successors of every such person.(14) Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums 104:
Gin it were set furth in your dittay that you cured folk o' the land ill by graipin' them.(15) Ayr. 1729 J. Stevenson Rare Cordial Title:
By John Stevenson, land labourer in the parish of Dailly.Fif. 1870 St Andrews Gaz. (1 Jan.):
Robert Kay, land-labourer, was accused of allowing his horse to stand too long.(16) Sc. 1820 Scots Mag. (May) 424:
Whan comes the landlash wi' rain an' swash, I cowd on the rowan' spait.(17) Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. iii.:
The circumstances of the landlady [the laird's wife] were pleaded to Mannering . . . as an apology for her not appearing to welcome her guest.(19) Dmb. 1804 T. Thornton Sporting Tour (1896) 48:
After the bottle had passed, as we conceived very freely, we were disposed to return home, but our hospitable friend, Sir James, would not allow us to stir till he had produced the landlord's bottle, a custom peculiar to the north, where luxury has not yet blunted hospitality.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter iv.:
His manner seemed that of a polished landlord towards an unexpected and unwelcome guest.Sc. 1858 E. Ramsay Reminisc. 93:
Persons still persist among us in calling the head of the family, or the host, the landlord.(20) Edb. 1720 A. Pennecuik Helicon 78:
We were very ill fash'd with the English Land-Loupers, And the haill Country was o'er-run with Moss-Troopers.Dmf. 1731 Gentleman's Mag. (March) 123:
Any Hustrin, Custrin, Land Louper, Dub Skouper or Gang the gate Swinger.Ayr. c.1770 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) XI. 113:
There's nae hope for Jamie, man . . . Jamie is gaen clean gyte. He's done wi' Paoli; he's off wi' the land-louping scoundrel of a Corsican.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 90:
Heh, Sirs! what cairds and tinklers come, . . . An' spae-wives fenzying to be dumb, Wi' a' siclike landloupers.Ayr. 1787 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 112:
I'm sitten' down here, after seven and forty miles ridin, . . . to gie you some notion o' my landlowper-like stravaiguin.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel ii.:
It is such land-loupers as you that, with your falset and fair fashions, bring reproach on our whole country.Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 9:
But let some limmer or land-louper loun Wi' braw claise on tak' lodgings i' your town.Ayr. 1864 A. M'Kay Hist. Kilmarnock 106:
Some of our old men yet recount, with much glee, the difficulties they [the town guard] encountered in keeping the land-loupers and other clamjamphrie that attended the fairs from getting the ascendency.Ork. 1874 Trans. Highl. Soc. 6:
The principal offenders against the public peace in Orkney appear to be tramps from the south — or “land-loupers” as they used to be called in Orcadian phraseology.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xiii.:
Even a broken land-loupin' Cheat-the-wuddy like Hector Faa!(21) Sh. 1733 T. Gifford Hist. Descr. (1879) 55:
2d. Species of crown rent is land meals, that is, the rents payable out of the crown lands.Sh. c.1772 A. C. O'Dell Hist. Geog. Sh. (1939) 241:
The Landmaills which is the only real land rent payable to the proprietor and to him alone, and antiently in Butter and Cloth called Woodmil.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Descr. Sh. 191, 226:
In addition to this fee for entry an annual tribute or rent was paid, known by the name of Land-mail; but in each year where the soil was not under tillage, the acknowledgement of land-mail was altogether remitted. . . . Collectors still come round for . . . land mails.Sh. 1904 G. Goudie Antiquities 175:
Land maills are rents for lands belonging to the Earldom [of Orkney] and Lordship [of Shetland] in property, or feus payable in respect of lands feudalised.Sh. 1931 J. Nicolson Tales 47:
It was indeed a solemn occasion when at Martinmas the Landmails-book, as the rent ledger was termed, was opened.(22) Fif. 1705 D. Beveridge Culross (1885) II. 49:
Under the date of 22nd October 1705, an Act of council orders the town fleshers to keep their own market at the cross, and to bring their meat to the “land market,” or market for the country fleshers, at the tolbooth.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Traditions II. 243:
Any such unfounded articles of intelligence, on being suspected or discovered, were commonly called Lawn-market Gazettes.(23) Sh. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XX. 115:
From the want of leases, and the tenant's being frequently obliged to have recourse to his landmaster for supplies in his exigencies, it renders him servile and obsequious.Sh. 1939 A. C. O'Dell Hist. Geog. Sh. 114:
In 1712, with the introduction of the salt tax, the “landmasters” were induced to replace the foreign fishermen as the curers of cod and ling.(24) Gsw. 1714 Records Trades Ho. (Lumsden 1934) 14:
John Craig younger hammerman James Stevenson, taylor Thomas Cochran, glover, David Main maltman Hugh Park cordener and John Hamiltoun land meithers were ordained to be booked.Gsw. 1726 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 259:
Upon the land meithing day, quhich is the first Tuesday of June, yearly.(25) Ayr. 1714 Ayr. Presb. Rec. MS. (28 July):
After which John Tough and Andrew Howstoun above designed Landmetsters have mett the whole arable ground of the gleib of Girvan.n.Sc. 1726 D. Sage Memorabilia (1889) 7:
Warrants to cite masons, wrights, and land metters, . . . for designing glebe and grass . . . The said masons, wrights, and land melsters [sic] being solemnly sworn, purged of malice and partial counsel.Arg. 1822 Session Papers, Clephane v. MacArthur (6 Feb.) 3:
The Moderator . . . administered the oath de fideli to . . . John Currie, land-metster, and instructed said John Currie to measure out one-half acre.(28) Cai. 1875 Trans. Highl. Soc. 179:
These were measured out by shrewd countrymen called land-riders, or more properly, land-redders, for they did not ride.(29) Abd. 1795 Session Papers, Leslie v. Fraser (29 March 1805) 147:
When the shot is felling, a part of the land-rope goes into the river; and at some places . . . the whole of the land-rope will be paid off with the net, in order that the net may reach the shot.(30) Cai. 1926 Broughton Mag. (Summer) 12:
Fro wracked ship in the hurly-burly smoored An' far by lan'sea lan'gates danged.Cai. 1935 Abd. Press & Jnl. (3 Oct.):
A “land sea” on Dunnet Bay, which is to Caithness a never-failing weather forecast, heralded the approach of wind and rain from the north-west.(31) Sc. 1711 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 123:
I intend to be at the land's setting this spring.Rxb. 1713 J. J. Vernon Par. Hawick (1900) 103:
The day before the arrival of the Duke of Buccleuch's commissioners to let his land at Hawick, which took place annually, and was called the land setting.(32) Abd. 1701 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. VI. 184:
Payt my landslady for the bygen weick at 6 shil. p. daye is . . . £2. 2. 0.Fif. 1713 Two Students (Dickinson 1952) 28:
My late Landslady says she will have the whole years rent from me seeing I took her house for a year.(33) Abd. 1796 Session Papers, Leslie v. Fraser (29 March 1805) 256:
The coble and net are rowed there by water, when the landsman, with the land-rope, steps on shore, and he follows the net with the land-rope in the best manner he can along the braes, as he has occasion, towards the loaws, where the net is hauled.(34) e.Lth. 1705 J. Paterson Musselburgh (1857) 81:
The Counsell condescends to lay beatreachds [sic = buttresses] about the land stoolls of the bridge.Bnff. 1722 Rec. Bnff. (S.C.) 368:
Ane estimate of what the said bridge may cost, which must be twenty foot of an arch in widness betwixt the land stools.Gsw. 1733 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 390:
Gouffing of the land style of the great bridge over Clyd.Sc. 1752 J. Spottiswoode Stile of Writs 425:
To build a Bridge upon — consisting of two Bows, each Bow twenty four Foot of Wideness, the Cuinzies of the Pend of free Stone, with a mid Pit of free Stone with a Pean or Beak upon the Current of the Water, and to make sufficient Landstales or Men and Horse to go and ride upon the same.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 87:
The Nith, then rolling in his pride, My landstools lav'd on every side.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii.:
They wud 'a been sittin' in bourachs aboot the lan'stells o' the brig.(35) Per. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XX. 460:
When this cairn was removed, it was found to consist entirely of land-stones, and to have in the centre a single stone-coffin.Bwk. 1809 R. Kerr Agric. Bwk. 35:
In all free soils, numerous stones, provincially termed land-stones, are found.Wgt. 1877 G. Fraser Wigtown 31:
A space in the centre . . . was paved with large land-stones, like an old Roman road.(36) Lnk. 1818 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 328:
Whar the dew neer scanc't, nor the land-tide danc't.(37) Sh. 1898 Shetland News (15 Jan.):
If ye gie some folk a hair dey will mak' a tedder o' it; bit dey could a ca'ed it a laand-tow fir da magnifin' powers o' some ane 'at we ken o'.(38) Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XI. 14:
Sand pipers, called here land trippers, sea pies.

2. In ploughing: (1) the soil which has still to be turned over by the ploughshare, the opposite of furr(ow); the width of the cut made by the plough in this, which can be adjusted by moving the muzzle of the plough more or less to the left. Gen.Sc. Hence phrs. to gie (a ploo) mair or less land (Gen.Sc.), to pit on or tak aff and (Fif., Kcb., Dmf. 1960). Derivs. lan(d)er, lanner, the left-hand horse in a plough-team (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif., Lth., Kcb., Dmf. 1960); lan(d)in, the journey of a plough from one side of a field to the other and back again, a bout (see Bout, n.², 2.), one circuit of a rig (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Fif., Lth., Kcb., Dmf. 1960); similarly used of a band of reapers, = 4. below (Sc. 1825 Jam.) or hoers (Lth., Kcb. 1960). Both form and meaning are sometimes confused with land-end below (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); the adjustment of a plough to the requisite width of land.Sc. 1762 A. Dickson Agriculture 211:
If the beam points to the fur-side, the plough will have too much land.Sc. 1784 J. Small Ploughs 92:
A plough . . . made with such a degree of land, or tendency to the left.Sc. 1802 Farmer's Mag. (May) 220:
A most ingenious muzzle for a plough, that, with a single twist of a screw, gives both earth and land (or depth and breadth) at the same time.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 142:
Twa landin's they had shorn, or three, Ere day-light was appearin'.Dmf. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (Jan.) 400:
The field was then lotted out into three landings.Sc. 1858 H. Stephens Farm Implements 153, 234:
The other bolt U is movable, for the purpose of varying the earthing of the plough; the landing being varied by shifting the draught-bolt and shackle V to right or left. . . . Another man to follow the plough to assist at the turnings at the ends of the landings.Lnk. 1888 R. Young Love at Plough 28:
D'ye think ye're richt baith in yer yird an' laun?Rxb. 1917 Kelso Chron. (5 Oct.) 4:
It was his constant practice, I believe, when at the plough, to lay the remains of his “nacket” of home-made bread and ewe-milk cheese at the end of his “landing,” with a view of conciliating the good-will of the unseen powers to himself and his horses.Abd. 1956 J. Murray Rural Rhymes 11:
When at the ploo in mossy howe Wi' Dally on the “lan',” An' “Jockie” steady in the fur.Abd. 1956 Huntly Express (10 Jan.) 6:
He dreelt his chestnut lan'er for a rantin', twinin' witch.

Combs.: (i) lan-beast, in a plough-team: the left-hand horse, which walks on the unturned earth (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif., sm.Sc. 1960); (ii) land-brod, = (vi), on the other side from the mouldboard (Ork. 1960). See Brod, n.¹; (iii) land-earth, arable soil; (iv) lan(d)('s)-end, the end of a furrow in a ridge where the plough turns (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Arg.¹ 1937; Uls. 1953 Traynor, land's; Fif., Ayr., Wgt., Dmf. 1960). Now only dial. in Eng.; (v) land-horse, = (i) (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Arg., Ayr., Dmf. 1960); (vi) lan-plate, the side-plate on the left-hand side of a plough (Fif., Lth., Arg., Dmf., Uls. 1960); (vii) land-side, the left-hand side of the plough (Sc. 1880 Jam.; Cai., Bnff. 1902 E.D.D.; n.Sc., Fif., Ayr., sm.Sc. 1960).(iii) Abd. 1807 Farmer's Mag. (Aug.) 344:
Three fourths of the arable not exceeding, at an average, seven inches in depth of what we call land earth.(iv) Sc. 1858 H. Stephens Farm Implements 279:
On releasing the chain, which is done at the land-ends and turnings.Rxb. 1884 J. Thomson Doric Lays 13:
Robin reached the land-end first And foremost o' the boon.(v) Ayr. a.1848 Chambers's Inform. I. 486:
The untamed and liveliest, or most forward horse, should be put in the furrow, and only bound back to the right or off theet of the land-horse.(vii) Sc. 1784 J. Small Ploughs 24:
The defects of the common form of the land side of the plough . . . are very sensible . . . also when we use the more modern feathered sock.Knr. 1814 P. Graham Agric. Knr. 46:
The convex part of the mould-board is exposed to the furrow, making the angle with the mould-board, and the land side of the plough, more obtuse.

(2) The horse which walks on the land or left-side of the plough-team (Ayr. 1960). Hence lan-afore, — ahin, the front and back left-hand horses in a four-horse team. Cf. (1) (i) above.Ayr. 1786 Burns Inventory 8–11:
My Lan-afore's a guid, auld has been, And wight and wilfu' a' his days been; My Lan-ahin a guid, brown Filly, That aft has borne me hame frae Killie.

(3) An S-hook attaching the yoke to the muzzle of a plough, by which the amount of land can be adjusted (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MS.; Bnff. 1902 E.D.D.). See (1).

3. Arable land as opposed to pasture (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.), the fields on a farm as opposed to the area occupied by the buildings. Gen.(exc. I. and s.)Sc. Hence long-land, short —, see 1775 quot. The precise application of the terms is uncertain and the orig. Gaelic equivalents are not recorded. Phs. the reference in long land is to the shares of arable ground cultivated under the run-rig system (Gael. mor-fhearan, “big land”) while short land might indicate small patches of croft ground.Hebr. 1775 Johnson Journey W. Isles 180:
According to the different mode of tillage, farms are distinguished into long land and short land. Long land is that which affords room for a plough, and short land is turned up by the spade.Bnff. 1866 W. Gregor D. Bnff. 99:
A'm gain t' fork o' the laan, an' nae i' the corn-yard.

4. The portion of a corn-field cut in each journey from one end of the field to the other by one band of reapers. Cf. 2. (1), landin.Edb. 1794 G. Robertson Hairst Rig (1801) 12:
O' Gath'rers next, unruly bands, Do spread themselves athwart the Lands.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 245:
When a banwun of reapers are kemping up a lan', the weak of course fall behind the stronger.

5. A piece of land on which a house stands, a building site; hence applied to the building itself, and specif. to one of several storeys divided into flats, a tenement house (Sc. 1799 A. Mitchell Scotticisms 52; e. and wm.Sc. 1960). Most freq. used of the tall blocks of flats in the High Street of Edinburgh, some of which retain the name of their orig. builder or owner, or of some historical association, as Gladstone's Land, Bible Land, Morocco Land. Also phr. a land o( f ) houses, id.Gsw. 1700 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 310:
He had . . . ane tenement of land, heigh and laigh.Sc. 1710 Chrons. Atholl & Tullibardine Families II. 119:
A fire in Mr Douglass house, which was begune in one of the stories above him in the same Land.Sc. 1747 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 263:
In Edinburgh, where every floor almost, in a great house, or land, as they call it, is a separate dwelling-house, and a distinct property, and is served by one common stair for the whole.Kcd. 1749 Aberdeen Jnl. (18 July):
That large Stone-land lately possessed by Mr Grey, Episcopal Minister, as a Dwelling-house, and the other large Stone-land as his Meeting House, all within one close and lying in the middle of the Town of Stonehaven.Sc. 1753 W. Maitland Hist. Edb. 140:
What the Impropriety of Speech denominating a House, by the Appellation of Land is owing to, I know not, unless it be to a Spot of Ground, long known by the Name of a certain Man's Land.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xvii.:
I was in terms . . . anent the bigging of a land of houses on my new steading at the town-end.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Traditions (1856) 48:
An Antique wooden-faced house, bearing the odd name of the Mahogany Land.Gsw. 1846 J. Smith Working Classes 24:
In McLaren's land, one entry and stair admit to upwards of forty dwellings.Gsw. 1884 H. Johnston Martha Spreull 32:
Hale streets hae been dung doon, and fine new anes wi' bonnie big lands o' hooses planted i' their place.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister (1898) 171:
He lived in one of the garret rooms of a big “land”.Fif. 1926 I. Farquhar Pickletillie 45:
That high, high land in the Canongate of Edinburgh, where she lives.Ags. 1953 Bulletin (8 May):
The roof of the “High Land,” the nine-storey tallest tenement in Dundee, caught fire last night.Arg. 1960 Scottish Field (Apr.) 63:
Her flat is in a block called Ferryland. Away from the shore, towards the centre of the town [Inveraray] lies Reliefland.

6. A pew in a church (Mry.¹ 1925).

7. In pl.: a boys' game (Arg.² c.1890).

II. v. 1. intr. To end (in), to finish up; to light upon; to arrive, be born; tr. to impose on or saddle one with (a burden, loss, obligation or the like), gen. in pass., phs. orig. a variant form of Lant, v., 2.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 187:
When Strangers landed, wow sae thrang Fuffin and peghing he wa'd gang.Sc. 1726 R. Wodrow Corresp. (1843) III. 244:
We inquired into the reports, found them all land on Mr Simson.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
How did ye land? How did the business terminate?Ags. 1893 F. Mackenzie Cruisie Sk. viii.:
Jess had made up her mind to keep the neist calf, an' bring her up to tak' the auld coo's place; but, . . . noo that the calf's landed, isna he o' the wrang perswashion!ne.Sc. 1960:
He landit me wi a lot o trock I didna want. I was landit wi 'im for the lave o the mornin.

2. In mining: to bring coal, etc. to the surface (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 41). Also in Eng. mining areas. Hence landing, a stopping place for a cage in a shaft or at the surface or for a train on an incline or dook (Ib.); landing-box, the box into which a pump delivers water (Ib.):

3. In derivs., from various meanings of the v. found in St. or dial. Eng.: (1) ppl.adj. landed, rural, Landward; (2) lander, a fall on the ground, as when skating. Gen.(exc. n.)Sc.(1) Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XI. 2:
An old church-yard, which, from time immemorial, has served the purpose of a burying ground to the town, and a part of the landed parish annexed to it.