A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1546-1578, 1648
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0]
Ponder, -ir, v. [e.m.E. and ME ponder, -re (Wyclif), also punder (c 1330), poundre (1387), OF ponderer (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), mod. F. pondérer, L. ponderāre to weigh, f. pondus weight: cf. Ponderat.] tr. a. To weigh. Only in fig. context. b. To weigh mentally; to consider carefully; to think over, meditate upon. c. ? To estimate the worth of, to appraise.a. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5087.
Bot plesand lyfe and hard myschance, Ponder thame boith in one ballanceb. pres 1546 Pitsc. II 58/3.
Finallie ponder … the … infernall crudelietie of the malignant kirk in [etc.] a1568 Scott xiii 38.
Remord & rew and pondir weill my parte c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 3.
All faithfull … to my wordis attend, … Ponder thame weill and wey thaim in ȝour hart, Ilk stait of man, consider ȝour awin part c1568 Ib. 210.
Quhairfor I do imploir with humbill hart Ilk man in earth, to ponder thair awin part And to considder in to quhat stait tha stand 1570 Satirical Poems xx 53.
My wordis weill considder And ponder thame for ȝour awin schamep.t., and p.p. a1578 Pitsc. I 119/13.
Nochtwithstanding this James … ponderit the caus in his awin mynd thinkand [etc.] 1648 Dalkeith Presb. in Butler Life Leighton 20.
The foresaids reasons being ponderet be the bretheren and found somewhat weakc. 1648 Information of the Present Condition of Affairs 8.
Their way hath not been straight before the Lord who searches the hearts and ponders the paithes
