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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Strand, n.² Also: strande, strane. [ME and e.m.E. strond, strund (c1240), strand (Cursor M.). Appar. related to Strinde n.², ‘though the phonological relation is obscure’ (OED).]

1. A stream, brook; a flow of water from a well or spring. Also const. of (water). Also attrib., fig. and in fig. context. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2520.
Went neuer hound mair haistelie … Nor went this wedder baith ouer mois and strand a1500 Henr. Orph. 22.
Lyke as a strand of water or a spring Haldis the sapour of his fontall well c1475 Wall. ix 975.
A litill strand he fand, that ran hym by c1475 Wall. xi 443.
Wallace and his thai wyst off no rameid, Bot cauld watter, that ran throu owt a strand a1500 Sir Eger 215.
Beside me ran a river strand 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1135 (L).
Besyde that cristall strand [E. well] swete and degest them till repois thayr hors refresch and rest 1513 Doug. vii xi 54.
Hys Spanȝe oxin, … Dyd bathing and refresch, to mak thame clene, In Ital strandis at the cost Tyrrhene [L. Tirynthius … Tyrrhenoque boves in flumine lavit Hiberas] c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xviii 1.
Jesus … went out with his discipilis ouere the strand [P. strond; L. torrentem] of Cedron 1528 Lynd. Dreme 824.
The fresche fontanis, quhose holesum cristel strandis [: hyndis] Refreschis so the [fair] fluriste grene medis 1535 Stewart 28467.
The bitter teiris fra Adamus ene, Evin lyke ane strand out of ane well tha sprang 1567 Reg. Privy S. V ii 334/2.
Ad fontem [MS pontem] Dive Margarete inter unum lie strand currens in occidentem a1605 Montg. Flyt. 446 (T).
Stikis that stinking strand c1590 Fowler I 55/198.
Than litill strandis the largest seis dois be thair course mak more 1595 Reg. Great S. 92/1.
Fra the said wall northe-eist as ane strand and rynner of watter that flowis furthe of the said wall [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 17/27.
Heir … is ane gold mynde in Craufurde mure … bot we mycht esilier cal it a golde strand [L. aurifluvium] … for … it rinis from sandie furdes of burnes or riueris 1596 Dalr. I 89/18.
Sik drink as fountanes and wattir strandes gaue thame thay vset gladlie 1602 Colville Paraenese 102.
The ancients hes not sparit to compair such persons to a canall or strand cut of from his fontane 1604-31 Craig v 5.
Mee thought in a laigh lay a cleare streame, a strand 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 255.
In all the boundis of Arabia Deserta … there is no such matter as brooke or strand, much lesse a riuer 1694 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 584 (22 March).
Eavine up and doune the runig strandattrib. 1594 Douglas of Morton 48.
[In Durisdeer] having on the south the old peat walls of John Purdy to the strandheid and on the west the wynde of Gilbert McEwein to the strandheidfig. 1513 Doug. i Prol. 342.
Venerabill Chauser, … In eloquens balmy, … Mylky fontane, cleir strand and roys ryall 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1057 (Ch.).
Kings sould of gude exempils be the well. Bot gif that ȝour strands be intoxicate, In steid of wyne thay drink the poyson fell 1548 Balnaves in Knox III 434.
This treatise was a prettie and gentill strand of the aboundant fountaine of the scriptures a1561 Norvell Meroure 16b.
He is the fontaine, floode, and springing strande

b. transf. A stream or gushing forth (of blood, tears). c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 8/37.
At everie straik ran furth ane strand Quhilk mycht have ransonit warldis thre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 286.
Those dulce & balmy strandis Quhilk on the croce did spedalie out spryng, Frome His moste tender feit and heuinly handis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3914.
The bludy strandis Quhilkis sprang furth of His feit and handis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4038.
The strandis of blude ran throuch the stretis Off dede folk trampit vnder fetis Arundel MS 280/46.
I mak requeist to thé, be his five woundis, be the strandis of his haly blude [etc.] 1632 Sc. Ant. III 130.
Them all agreeing with teares that did distill Out our thair cheeks, to make a bullerand strand

2. A street gutter or conduit. 1504 Cart. S. Giles 190.
Prope le Loplystane inter terram Johannis Fawside … et le strand discendendo … a porta Venelle Sancte Marie [etc.] 1560 (1565) Reg. Great S. 387/1.
Canalem, vulgariter ane strand vel a syk 1590 Lanark B. Rec. 97.
Anist the gutter and strand quhilk passis upoun the suthest pairt abon the well 1652 Lanark B. Rec. 148.
The bayllies and counsell dischairges any to lay out thair fuilyie upon the streit betuixt the strand at the Laydie Carmychellis hous doun to the schooll 1656 Glasgow B. Rec. II 336.
To caus once to cleinge the said strane or guiter 1661 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 240.
To lay flags over that strand at Barnies newk 1674 Glasgow B. Rec. III 182.
The strand or gutter that rines doune that syd of the streit

b. ? A built channel or runnel intended to serve as a gutter; ? a drain. 1670 Glasgow Weavers 81.
To John Bartoune for laying a strand at the hous end—13 s. 4 d.

3. (A) sea, ocean. 1513 Doug. i iv 5.
Eneas and his feris, on the strand Wery and forwrocht, sped thame to the nerrest land c1552 Lynd. Mon. 336.
Oft haue I salit ouer the strandis, And traualit throuch diuers landis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1553.
Thare wes none sey Mediterrane Bot onely the gret occiane Quhilk did nocht spred sic bulryng strandis As it dois now