A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1455-1461, 1512, 1597-1681
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Seand(e, adj. Also: sean, sein(g, sene. [OF seant (late 12th c. in Larousse) decent, suitable, fitting, pres. ppl. of seoir to sit.] Appropriate, fitting, proper; valid (for the case in question).Quot. 1622 misplaced s.v. Mendis n. 2 b (2).(a) 1455 Acts II 42/1.
Lordschippis and castellys … the quhilk may not be giffyn away … but avys, deliuerance and decret of the haill parliament ande for gret seande and resonable causis of the realme 1461 Peebles B. Rec. I 141.
Quhen he sa defattis he sal be correxit … anys twys or thris and geif he after defauttis at it be a seand caus and a gret faut to the ton he sal tyn his takis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Dissolvtion.
It is leasum to the king … for great, seand and reasonable causes … to sell, annalie and dispone the kings annexed propertie 1606 Acts IV 340/1.
For the saidis causis quhilkis they haue knawin and tryit to be for the seand weill of his majestie and realme 1606 Acts IV 355/1.
For the weill of our said souerane lord and for a seand proffeitt and commoditie to his crowne [etc.] c1610 Melville Mem. 4.
Nathing stode me in mair stede then the eirly embrassing of vnbocht experience be the stombling errours of vthers, nor [I] fand nathing mair domegeable then the omitting oft tymes of any sean exemple quhilk brocht euer with it oure lait repentance(b) 1622 Elgin Rec. II 172.
Elspet Cuming … deponit scho hard Grissal Urrall [sc. an alleged witch] say … scho wald nocht committ hir caus to God bot to the Devill becaus it was ane seing mends scho wald have of them. James Kay deponit the said Grissall said, ‘God let me nevir die quhill I get a seing mends of them ’ a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 52.
Lands … annexed to the croune may not be given in … frank tenement … [except] for great sein and reasonable causes of the realme a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 86.
The king's marriage quhilk the estaits finds to be ane sein and considerable causs for the weill and honor of the realme a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 59. 1676 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 76.
The saids bailyies refferred the mater to the earle of Wigtoune … and subscryved the sein presumptiones and the inqueists sentence and refferrence in a paper apairt be itselffe 1681 Purves Revenue Crown 2.
Craig sayes that the king … may not dispone therupon in fee & heretage without advyce and decret of the parliament for the great sein good & reasonable causes of the kingdome(c) 1512 Dundee B. Laws 507.
That na man … wirk ane vthir mannis werpit ȝarne but leiff, or ellis ane sene cause be the dekyn 1606 Acts IV 355/2.
And for vther great ressonable proffitable and sene causis of the said realme of Scotland
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"Seand adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/seande>
