A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400, 1456, 1513-1590
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Flowand, Flowing, ppl. a. [Northern ME. flowand (a 1300), OE. flowende.]
1. That flows (as water). Also fig. c1400 Troy-bk. 269.
The … fresche and wele flowand flude a1570-86 Kennedy Maitland Folio MS lxxi. 21.
O flowand ȝouthe, fruteles and feding flour 1513 Doug. iii. x. 15.
Off his E dolp the flowand blude … He wische away 1513 Ib. v. xiv. 62.
Amyd the flowand see 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 10.
Fairweill! of flowand rethorik the flour
2. fig. Unstable, changeable, fickle, uncertain. 1456 Hay I. 170/19.
Peple … flowand and untraist in all thair dedis 1531 Bell. Boece II. 482.
The mind of commoun pepill ar evir flowand, mair inconstant than wind 1533 Boece xv. iv. 580 b.
Having experience … how mony skathtis followit apoun licht and flowand myndis 1562-3 Winȝet II. 37/15.
He, all tymes flowand and doutsum, sumtyme [etc.] c1590 J. Stewart 53/14.
Ay his fancie flowing vas afflocht
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"Flowand ppl. adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/flowand>
