A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Rod, Rode, n.1 Also: rodd(e; roid; rood; road. [Of doubtful origin. Perh., as OED conjectures, by haplology f. ME and obs. e.m.E. trod footprint, track (Ancr. R.), footpath (1570), OE trod, due to wrong analysis of some compound, as an OE *fót-trod Fute-rod(e n. Cf. ON trod treading, trampling, nauta-trod the trampling of cattle. Also (with a short vowel) in the later and mod. Sc. dialects.]In later use there may be some influence from and ambiguity with Eng. road (cf. Rod(e n.). The Scottish material does not, however, necessitate such a derivation.
1. A path or way; a track; a road; a route or means of passage. Also comb.In pl., common in charters in lists of the pertinents, etc., of the property conveyed.Also fig. or in allegorical contexts.(1) 1494 Acta Conc. I 357/2.
The landis liand fra the derne rod towart the est 1496 Orkney Antiq. Soc. III 52.
Williamis mill to be uphaldin … becawse that scho [sc. the mill] standis at the hed of the rod 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1310.
Scho … with that word vp the strait rod abraid Id. Æn. i vii 2.
Thai … hastit furth thar way As the rod [Ruddim. rode] led thame 1558 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 28.
The rod or gait that passis besyd the heid dyke of the said Jhone Burnis land and ȝaird 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 230b.
Twelf peneis … for the annell rent of the rod & to the stok well c1575 Balfour Pract. 437. 1577 Reg. Great S. 748/2.
Quhill it cum to the rod or gait that cumis fra Natoun 1595 Ib. 110/1.
Direct eist till it cum to tua set mertche stanes at the syd of the rod 1622-6 Bisset I 296/5.
The merches … suld pas fra … this syke or bray, or fra this rod, gait or burne 1640 Bk. Pasquils 104.
Pray for our Couenanters, … Quho proued treuly to the end And marched be south the rod [: God] 1643 Binns P. (S.R.S.) 40.
And thairfrae northward to the rod or way betuix the said lands … with mairch stounes thairintill 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 6.
I almost thought I saw a woman walking … over a hil throw the beaten rod 1700 Peebles B. Rec. II 162.
The great skaith done to the kirkland through the rod comeing doun through fra the park nook to the highgait(b) a1231 Liber Dryburgh 249.
Per Malcolmes Rode sursum usque ad Styrkerden 1581 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 40.
The cornes quhilkes ar vrangously savin benith the gait at the rode and vther grounds properly pertaining to this brugh 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 122.
Upon the rode bothe of England and France we meit with noblemens incloseurs wheir would [be] 2 or 300 dears(c) 1375 Barb. x 571.
Ik wsyt lang that trawaling Swa that I kan that roid [C. rod] ga rycht(d) 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 312.
The onlie accustomacie road being be a liggitt of the said John Boddans possessioncomb. 1668 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 353.
To speake with the magistrates … upon the rodway coming hether(b) 1653 Inverurie 311.
A church … on the rodeway not far from London 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 119.
Then the straightest way from the town of Drumfrise to the village of Minigoff goeth through the foresaid center, and (though it be not the rode way) will almost be equall(2) 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 149.
He … on the rod … fell in company with John, Earl of Athol 1682 Edinb. City Archive Letters II (86).
The warrant … wes on the rodd coming heir 1687 Misc. Spald. C. V 236.
[They] did meit accidently on the rod(3) 1375 Barb. vi 239.
A litill rod he fand Wp towart the crag strekand 1375 Barb. x 379 (C).
Thai … on range in ane rod [E. route] can ga On handis and feit ?1438 Alex. ii 2908. 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 245.
Syn evyn furth til a rod behynd the Camehill a1500 Henr. Fab. 1517.
In ane rod quhair he [sc. the lion] wes wont to ryn 1513 Doug. ix vii 32.
Scarsly a strait rod or dern narow went Tharin mycht fundyn be 1534 Bamff Chart. 65.
Fra that north as ane rod lyes in passage to Ardorny 1535 Stewart 29539.
Out-throw the land vpoun his feit he woik … in mony sindrie rod 1632 Lanark B. Rec. 324.
Passand southeist be ane rod throw the Balgreene of Mousbrigdyike 1698 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 764.
[The abuse] in rydding down … some growing cornes … when the samen ground was noewayes a rodd nor adjacent therto(b) c1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 247.
Ascendand west a grete lech til it cum oure a rode to the brede of an akyr the quhilk rod strekis fra Bischop Brynnes the nerrast gate our the mos to the kyrk of Ellon(c) 1375 Barb. x 564.
A strayt roid [C. rod] … In-till the crage syne doun I went(4) 1386 (1414) Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 10.
With all appertenances … alswele vndir erde as abone in hauking in fysching in fouling in wais in roddis in vivaris [etc.] 1499 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 625.
To be haldin … the fore namyt landis … lik as thai ly in lenth and breid in moris maresis wayis roddis watteris stankis [etc.] 1513 Doug. vi vii 43.
The hydlys held thai and the roddis darn 1630 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 67. 1638 Aboyne Rec. 281. 1649 Boyd Fam. P. No. 195 (May).
The forsaid persones … mackis comone hie wayes rods and passages therthrow on hors and foot quheir ther non wount to be of befoir 1654 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 324. 1665 Peebles B. Rec. II 65.
Reservatioun of passage to and fra the same [common] upon the wonted roddes and gaittes 1669 Burnett Fam. P. MS.
To be halden all and haill the saids townes and landis … in housis, … mosis, gaits, roddis, wateris, stankis, riveres [etc.](b) 1461 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 362.
To be haldyn … in … hychtis playnes wais rodis watterys reuirys [etc.](c) 1539 Peebles Chart. 58.
Thare landis … myris mossis merches wayis gaitis roidis [etc.] 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI 125.
Making of roidis, gaittis and passageis throw the landis, and taking of … wair furth thairof(d) 1660 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 333.
[They have made] ane common passage thorw our [MS out] quheit and rye … and is not onlie content to goe and come upon the roods and passadges of old useit and wont, viz. everie man and woman to goe on efter another, bot … they goe sex or seven att others sydes quhilk was never in use beffor … and hes made gattes … above 5 or 6 ells broad … Ordaines ane rodde of three quarter broad … and ordaines to make ditches on both sydes of the rodd att both ends therof schowing the breadth of the gate(5) fig. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. iii 3.
Mak ye reddie the wayis of the Lord, mak ye richte the roddis [P. pathis; L. semitas] of him Id. Luke iii 4. 1567 G. Ball. 31.
Leid ȝour lyfe Without reprufe … O enter be that narrow rod Ib. 197.
Preistis, … put away ȝour imagerie, … To hell the way and rod Ib. 236.
Sen I [sc. God] to heuin mon be the rod, Gif me thy hart c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 164.
To quhome also is knawin the wourd of God, And wilfullie dois rin the contrair rod 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 160/30.
The Catholik kirk sould find him ane … serpent in the rod bytand the hors houis c1590 J. Stewart 207/30.
This … narrow rod … hes forlaittit bein this monie ȝeir
b. In certain special collocations, or compounds, with boull (see also Boulroad n.), boun(d (see also Bound-rod n.), fute (see also Fute-rod(e n.), grene (see also Grene adj. 1 b) and hie (see also Hie rodd n.). See also By-rod(e n.Ane commone rod, a right of way.(1) c1650 Spalding I 260.
And thairefter put to libertie, and had to the Boull rod with the rest(2) 1602 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 1067.
[The Lord Home is to receive my party at the] bound rod [thereafter to be carried to Edinburgh] 1617 Melrose P. 290.
That he [sc. the Earl of Home] … sall meete his maiestie at the boun rod, and convoy his maiestie … to Pencraik 1639 Pittenweem Ann. 34.
Because the presbeterie of St. Andrews are ordainit to send als many men to Brunteland for guarding the coast there from invasioun of the navy as they have done to the bound rod(3) 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 25 April.
Anent the sichting off ane fute rod & gait betuix the saidis perteis croftis 1671 Old Ross-shire I 372.
Foott rodd(4) 1434 Liber Aberbr. II 67.
And sua furth est … as the Greyne Laich gais to the Greyne Rod on the north syidis of Fallaty 1458 Ib. 104.
And swa sowth … to the furd of Dersy vest the greyn rod 1595 Reg. Great S. 91/1.
Ane greine rod(b) 1681 Hunter Fam. P. 66.
Alongest the face of the hill be the grein skirts and down the foot of the grein rode(5) 1650 Old Ross-shire I 375.
Be … destroying of the cornes … making of hie rods and wayes ther-throw quhair never any was before 1650 Strathbogie Presb. 140.
Wpp the neirest rodd vpon the brae head, and therfra ascending southvard in the brae head as the hie rodd goes(6) 1662 Peebles B. Rec. II 52.
The counsell findes the balk is ane commone rod, and cannot be stopt
2. transf. a. The ‘track’ or path made by the passage of an individual. b. A passage between seats, etc., in a church.a. 1533 Bell. Livy II 222/8.
The futesteppis & rod [L. Vestigio notato humano] of the messinger that was send fra Veos to the Capitollb. c1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 523.
[They] wold sie the rod throuch the midst of the church always keipit voyd to give frie passage to them who approach to the table
3. A passage in a coalmine.1691 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt.
The 3d sink of the jewell road
4. fig. A way of doing something; a procedure.1661 Wodrow Hist. (1828) I 107.
The commissioner … moved that the parliament might fall to their business, in the ancient road, by the lords of the articles
