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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1689
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Roun, Round, v. Also: roune, rown(e; ruun; rounde, rownd; rund. P.t. also rounde. P.p. also rounden. [ME and e.m.E. roune(n (c1290), rowne(n (14th c.), early ME also runien (c1200), late ME and e.m.E. also ronde (a1450), rounde (a1529), with excrescent d as in Bound v.2, OE rúnian.]
1. intr. To converse together (sammyn, togidder) in whispers; to talk with or to a person privately or in whispers; to speak in a whisper.Also const. in, in to (a person's) ere and without construction.(6) may, rather, simply be erron. for rowm (Roum v.2).For examples of the phr. to rouk and roun, see Rouk v.(1) 1375 Barb. xii 360 (C).
In v hundreth placis … Men mycht thame sammyn se rownand ga ?1438 Alex. ii 9537.
Thay rowned togidder in preuate c1420 Wynt. viii 888.
He Trowyd the Brows till have the crown, As he togyddyr herd thame rowne(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3704 (Ch.).
Heir sal the kings and the temporal stait round togider a1634 Forbes Rec. 468 (see below).
[They] rounded together 1670 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 424.
That none of our number shall whisper or round together in company with us without leave asked and given(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxx 28.
To rowne with thaim in priuete c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 180/81.
In Dunfermelyne he [sc. Death] has done roune With Maister Robert Henrisoun c1500-c1512 Ib. 182/37.
Flattry weiris ane furrit goun And Falsett with the lordis dois roun(b) 1532 Instit. Ct. Sess. in Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 376.
That na man … rownd wyth his merrow 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 162.
Frenche Paris come and rowndit with him 1600 Calderwood VI 35.
Praying his majestie … not to be seene to round with him before his brother a1634 Forbes Rec. 468.
The Lord Chanceller rounded a little while with … the Lordes on his right hand; after which the Lord Chanceller and he rounded together 1657 Mure Hist. Rowallane 253.
The king in his bearne head proponed to round with him(3) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 529.
Ilk ane to vther prewelie can roun 15.. Clariodus v 2435.
Clariodus … upon ane armiger did call … To quhom he rounit and ordanit secreitlie To have the heraldis with him quyetlie(b) 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 185.
Roundand and rowkand, ane tyll vther 1531 Bell. Boece II 226.
He belevit, quhen ony man roundit to his fallow, that thay spake evill of him 1569 Campbell Love-Lett. Mary (1824) 203.
My Lord Bothwell … rounded unto me saying [etc.] 1600 Acts IV 205/2. 1600 Calderwood VI 36.
Oft rounding over his shoulder … to one of his servants 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 127.
The folk neir hand rounded and harked in to hir, ‘Of the rib of man’(4) a1400 Legends of the Saints i 425.
Than Petir rownyt in his ere a1500 Henr. Hasty Credence 21.
The tittillaris so in his heir can roun [etc.] a1500 King Hart 748.
Sadnes come in and rownit in his eir c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 10/101.
And Reuth in to my eir ay rounde c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 89a/36.
Thocht fulis roun and flatter in thyne eir a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS 194/21.(b) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1824.
The kingis minȝeoun roundand in his eir Hecht Verite 1535 Stewart 26741.
Ane incobus … Quhen that him list to round into his eir, Culd tell perfitlie baith of peax and weir 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4046.
I was ay roundand in ȝour eir 15.. Clariodus v 813.
Privallie he roundit in his eare c1590 Fowler I 52/127.
My freind … lawghin rounded in my eare 1603 Moysie 26.
The ministeris … cryed out … aganis atheastis and papistis that roundit in continually in the kingis earis a1651 Calderwood II 240.
Lethington smirtelled, and rounded in her eare a1658 Durham Subtile Self 88.
This tentation loves better to round in the ear and in secret(5) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 480.
All my luffaris lele my lugeing persewis … Sum rownis … and sum redis ballatis [etc.] c1500-c1512 Ib. (O.U.P.) 71/13.
Sum standis in a nuk and rownes 1513 Doug. v x 6.
He rownys, sayand: ‘Pas thi way inhy’ 1535 Stewart 16768.
‘My counsall is,’ he said, ‘I bid nocht roun, … hew the branchis doun’ a1568 Bannatyne MS 261b/8.
In cloikis thay cum full quyet cled And rownis to haif thair mater sped a1689 Cleland 99.
Then some began to hark and rown(b) 1513 Doug. xi vii 3.
Quhen all the Latynys … Fra hand to hand quhispyris fast and roundis [: soundis] a1568 Scott iv 45.
It settis not madynis … To … round in secreit place 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 829.
That na persoun speik nor rownd in the sessioun without licence a1651 Calderwood III 698.
The king rounded and prayed him to be sober in that point(6) 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 201 (Ruddim.).
And thochtful luffaris rownyis [C., Sm. rowmys, E., Ruthv. rownys] to and fro, To leis thare pane, and plene thare joly wo
b. To roun on (a matter), to talk about.1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 3875.
For [th]ocht we tell the dedis that we on ruvn, Ten thousand wourthiar dedis thare was doun
2. tr. a. To describe or talk about in whispers.1513 Doug. xii Prol. 211.
Sum rownys to hys fallow, thame betwene, Hys … pastans lait ȝisterevin
b. To say, or utter, (something) in a whisper.pres. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 170/84.
The devillis … Rownand to Robene and to Dik, Renunce thy God 1513 Doug. iv vi 37.
This ilke cursyt fame … gan rown, ‘The schippis ar grathand’ 1535 Stewart 39495.
Syne quietlie togidder tha did roun The fassoun how he wald gif ouir the toun a1540 Freiris Berw. 184 (B).
Scho rownis than ane pistill in his eir 1638 Baillie I 75.
He keeps his old wife plainnesse, for he rownes not that he avowed to the king his necessity to leave Scotland for feare of his life 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 14.
I'll rowne ye sunckat in your ear(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2031.
And to the volff he roundis priuely: ‘Schir [etc.]’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 168/44 (M).
The feind … till him rowndis Renunce thy God a1540 Freiris Berw. 188 (M).
Sche rowndis [B. rownis] than ane epistill in till eyre 1599 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 477.
Rounde a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 32.
Insusurra mihi in aurem quid velis, Round to me the thing that you would say 1673 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 168.
The pannell heard the defunct rounding to the deponent's wife that the pannell was drunk a1689 Cleland 66.
And others rounding to their goss, That you was an Aurelian closs(c) 1596 Dalr. II 117/7.
King James … rundis in the legatis eire that [etc.]p.t. 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 807.
A man That with his maister roundit than: ‘My lord [etc.]’ 1600 Criminal Trials II 294.
He roundit to the duik that [etc.] 1635 Dickson Wr. 120.
When he rode it was on a laigh beast, that any might have … rounded their petition in his ear as he rode 1666 Wodrow Hist. (1829) II 56.
The provost … rounded in my lug what [etc.] 1680 Cloud of Witnesses 53.
The general … rounded in my ear, ye must go [etc.]p.p. 1600-1610 Melvill 126.
Thir things, be Mr. Andro and I, war rounden out of pulpit to tham 1649 Cupar Presb. 140.
And … Thomas spoke out, saying, ‘I shall ridle what he hath rounded’
