A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400, 1499-1609
[0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Contend, v. [e.m.E. (1514), OF. contendre, L. contendere.] intr. To strive, esp. in rivalry or opposition. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 514.
Of all goddes the will But dout is contendand thar till a1500 Henr. Fab. 1333.
The … foullis cry, Contending quha suld haif the victorie 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 34.
The party contendand, or failyeand ony maner of way, to be banist the toun 1533 Boece ix. x. 312 b.
He … contendit with monkis … in halynes and sanctitude of life 1563 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 203.
Lat ane mater with ane uther … contend 1596 Dalr. I. 104/15.
Quhair ilk ane contendis to do quhat lyes in his power 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 20.
Arbitrie is ane lawfull deid of persons contendand … anent ane civill question and complaint
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Contend v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/contend>
