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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Boun, Bown, v. Also: bun. [e.m.E. bowne, ME. boune, bune (Cursor M.), f. Boun a. See also Bound v. Chiefly, and in early use exclusively, in verse.]

1. intr. To get ready, prepare (to do something).c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2852.
Than thocht hime at that ymage gay Bonned to pas frome hime away c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 364.
In Aperill fra him he bownd to wend c1475 Ib. iii. 310.
Schir Ranald bownyde vpon the morne … Wallace to seke 1479 Peebles B. Rec. 183.
Becaus … Sir Willyam bownit and schup to trawall in other contries a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 66.
Thai … Thankit the lord and bownit to faire a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 474.
Boun with thé to haue a fals botwand 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 97.
I crosyt me, syne bownyt forto sleip 1513 Ib. xiii. Prol. 46.
Euery thing … Bownys to tak the hailsum nychtis rest 1535 Stewart 16955.
Tha bownit baldlie in battell to byde 1535 Ib. 53356.
As tha war bownand for to pas thair wa 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 322/32.
The time of day drew neir all bownit to dine a1568 Scott xvi. 47.
So bissely to busk I boun a1570-86 J. Maitland Maitland Folio MS lxxxviii. 52.
Thai sweir ȝe feill ane string and bownis to brek it

2. To make ready to go; to set out, take one's course.a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 62.
He saw a cors … That ser men … War bownand furth it to enter c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2712.
Pirrus bowned to Delphos yle c1450-2 Howlat 302.
Thai … bownis out of Babulone with all obediens c1450-2 Ib. 508.
He bownyt till a batall a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 398.
Gar thame boun to this burgh c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 336.
Towart the burd he bowned c1475 Ib. iii. 311.
He him fand bownand to his dyner c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxx. 17.
God gif thé blis quhair euir thow bownes 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 69.
All the fensabill men … Bownys our the wallis 1513 Ib. x. viii. 38.
Turnus bownys towartis his aduersar 1513 Ib. 46.
Formast he bownys to the jonyng place 1525 Acts Lords of Council MS. XXXV. 185.
The Cristofre … bownand in the partis of this realme, was reft and spulȝeit 1535 Stewart 278.
On to the se he bownit sone agane 1535 Ib. 1396.
Till Yrland syne [thai] bownit hes but baid c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6312.
The blysfull byrdis bownis to the treis 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 102/2.
Vnto his hous this burges bownit hame a1578 Pitsc. I. 355/6.
He draist him haistale and bunde to France a1578 Ib. II. 125/10.
Eviry man bownit to his bed 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 563.
Bot ȝit, or he bound to the read [etc.]

b. tr. (with way as object).a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1349.
The renkis rial of array Bownyt hame thair way

3. refl. To prepare or betake oneself.1375 Barb. xix. 247.
He gert [thaim] … bown thaim to ga In Ingland 1375 Ib. xx. 308.
He … fast him bownyt for his fare a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxix. 316.
Thane bounyt thai thame & furth fare a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 423.
Schir Rolland … bad him … boun him to ga a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 682.
He bowned him and wald nocht byid 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. Prol. 104.
Bownand me hame and list na langer tary a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1311.
That hevinly hurd … As mortall man to bery thai thame boun 1513 Doug. vi. i. 2.
Eneas bownys hym to pas [etc.] 1513 Ib. vii. Prol. 142.
As I bownyt me to the fyre 1533 Boece v. iii. 168 b.
He feneȝit seiknes, and bownit him sonare to bed than he accustummyt 1535 Stewart 647.
To boun him hame than Yber thocht it best 1535 Ib. 6610.
Thai … sone for battell bownit thame in hy a1540 Freiris Berw. 231 (M).
Sche … bownit hir till hir bed anone

4. In p.p. = Boun ppl. a.c1420 Wynt. viii. 2506.
Thai … fand thare … a gret bataylle Bownde [C. bounde] to defend and till assayle ?1438 Alex. i. 1536.
Quhan he sawe that his menȝe was Scaillit, and bounit to leif the place 1592 Criminal Trials I. 323.
Because the next somer many ar bownit to vther countries, and will not abid on you na langer