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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

WARRAND, n., v. Also warand (Ork. 1742 Old-Lore Misc. I. ii. 55); warran (Sc. 1814 C. I. Johnstone Saxon and Gael I. viii., Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xvi., Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 73; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., s.v. Red; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 192; ne.Sc. 1973), warren (Sc. 1818 S. Ferrier Marriage xxxiv.; Ags. 1880 Brechin Advertiser (27 April) 3; Sh. 1926 Shetland Times (4 Dec.)), waren, warrin (Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff 168), warn (Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 96; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Edb. 1892 J. W. McLaren Sc. Poems 58; s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws xiv.; Uls. 1898 A. McIlroy Auld Meetin'-Hoose Green 146), waarn (Sh. 1924 T. Manson Peat Comm. 73), warrn (Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxii.), waurn (Abd. 1928 J. Baxter A' Ae 'Oo' 29, erron. waur (Bnff. 1930 E. S. Rae Waff o' Win' 58), worn (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211), worrin (Bnff., Cld. 1880 Jam.); wurn; wirren (Ork. 1929 Peace's Almanac 140, Ork. 1973), also yaren [ < I warran] (Abd. 1847 Gill Binklets 105); and, after Eng., waurant (Ags. 1889 Barrie W. in Thrums xiii.), warrint (Uls. 1953 Traynor). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. warrant (Sc. 1701 Univ. Edb. Charters (Morgan 1937) 137, Fif. 1711 D. Beveridge Culross (1885) II. 214; Abd. 1727 Session Papers, Leslie v. Fraser (29 March 1805) 323; Ayr. 1786 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 35; Knr. 1895 H. Haliburton Dunbar 14; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 274; Ags. 1928 A. Gray Gossip 30). For the -n forms see D, letter, 2. [′wɑr(ə)n(d); Ork. ′wɪrən]

I. n. 1. A protector, defender. Obs. in Eng. since 16th c. Arch.Per. a.1800 Charlie MacPherson in Child Ballads No. 234 A. ii.:
Baith Milton an Muirton an auld Water Nairn, A' gaed wi him, for to be his warn.Sc. 1829 Scott Anne of Geierstein xi.:
I swear to thee by the edge of my good sword, I will be thy warrand for a year and a day.

2. Sc. Law in phr. jedge and warrant, the authority to repair a ruinous tenement, granted by the Dean of Guild. See Jedge, 2. Obs. exc. hist.Sc. 1715 Session Papers, Petition J. Brownhill (28 June) 1:
Having obtained a Jedge and Warrand from the Dean of Guild Court, for Re-building a Ruinous Tenement.Sc. 1816 G. J. Bell Comm. Law Scot. (1826) I. 750:
The judicial process of Jedge and Warrant creates a real burden on a burgage tenement, which will be effectual against creditors and purchasers.Sc. 1895 J. C. Irons Dean of Guild Court 318:
Applications for jedge and warrant are now somewhat rare.Sc. 1928 Encycl. Laws Scot. V. 432:
They may cause ruinous or dangerous structures to be taken down or secured under a procedure modelled on the ancient jedge and warrant.

3. Derivs.: (1) warrandice, see Warrandice n.; †(2) warrandrie, authorisation; (3) warranty, †-ee, a guarantee, assurance (Sc. 1905 E.D.D.; Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains & Hilly 45; Ork., ne.Sc., em.Sc. (a), Lnk., Dmf. 1973, esp. in regard to the sale of live-stock), now only dial. in Eng.(2) Ags. 1730 Arbroath T.C. Rec. MS. (7 Feb.):
To pay each ane years anual rent to the poor of the parish of Guthrie and take Mr. Henderson and Mr. Moncrief ministers Discharges of Warrandrie because the Kirk of Guthrie is vacant.(3) Sc. 1823 Scott Q. Durward v.:
“Think you that I am like to recommend to you anything unworthy?” “l cannot doubt your warranty, fair uncle.”Lth. 1853 W. Wilson Ailieford II. xiii.:
Willie, man, ye shall have every penny back if ye'll gie me warranty I'm safe.Per. 1896 I. MacLaren Kate Carnegie 163:
A'll gie ye a warranty that the'll no be a cup o' the cheeny broken.

Comb.: warrant sale, Sale carried out by a sheriff officer s.v. sheriff n., v. I. 1. (7) under warrant (usu. of a householder's goods etc). Poindings (s.v. poind) and warrant sales were abolished by the Scottish Parliament by a bill which came into force in 2002.Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 38:
It wiz lik wan big warrant sale, ah'm tellin ye. Aw the furniture wiz oot oan the streets.Sc. 1992 James Kelman Some Recent Attacks 4:
... expressed his concern that the police were being too lenient with anti-poll tax demonstrators out protesting the attempted warrant sale of a family's household goods.Sc. 1994 Tony Byrne Local Government in Britain 6th (edn) :
There were riots, massive refusals to pay, judicial review, attachment of earnings and benefits, rebellions by poll-tax payers over their surcharge for others' non-payments, threatened or actual imprisonments and warrant sales for non-payment, prosecutions under the Data Protection Act ... followed by a sudden change in government policy on local finance.Sc. 1997 Daily Telegraph 14 Aug 17/4:
There were strong pressures ... for the abolition of warrant sales.Sc. 1999 Herald 6 Oct 14:
Last year there were 23,067 poindings in Scotland, the bulk at the instance of Scottish local authorities for council tax, poll tax, and the like. Of these cases, 513 proceeded to a warrant sale. The great scandal of warrant sales is that they represent a legalised form of cruelty.Sc. 2002 Aberdeen Evening Express 4 May 4:
"When anyone dodges paying council tax the burden falls on others.
"This case is a clear example that the threat of poinding and warrant sales on someone who has resources does work."Sc. 2002 Daily Record 14 Nov 9:
MSPs last night backed a new system of debt collection to replace poindings and warrant sales in Scotland.

II. v. As in Eng. Freq. in phr. I'se warran, I'll bet, I'll be bound (Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; I., ne.Sc., em.Sc. (a), wm.Sc. 1973). See Sall, 2.Ags. 1772 Session Papers, Mudie v. Ross State of Process 124:
Ise waren you thought you had got a good peel'd egg of me yon time.Ayr. 1786 Burns Earnest Cry xiii.:
Dempster, a true-blue Scot I'se warran.Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 158:
I'se waurn our folks are gane to bed.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 124:
Ise warn a right, tight, swagg'rin', swearing fellow.Lnk. 1890 H. Muir Reminisc. 70:
Tuts, never heed Jenny, as wurn ye she's thrang.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (4 June):
Nae wird o' Sharlit, I'se warrn.Slk. 1899 C. M. Thomson Drummeldale 1:
“Will Grannie be expeckin' iz?” “O-wye, Ise warran' will she.”Ork. 1907 Old-Lore Misc. I. ii. 61:
I'se wirran thu kens her owerweel.ne.Sc. 1954 Mearns Leader (4 June):
I'se warran' he didna forget.