Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vacand, Vakand(e, Va(i)king, Vacant, (ppl.) adj. Also: wacand(e, vacan(e, vaccand, -ant, waccand, -ant, waquant, vaucant, vaicand, vecand, wakand(e, wakwand, vaikand, waikand, vackand, vak(e)ing, vai(c)king, waiking, vacking(e, vackeing. [ME and e.m.E. vacaunt (c1290), vacauns (1297), vacant (Manning), OF vacant, L. vacans, vacantem, pres. ppl. of vacāre to be empty; Vak(e v.] a. Of an (ecclesiastical, etc.) position or office: Unfilled. (Vak(e v. 1 a.) b. Of a possession, etc.: Undisposed or unassigned. (Vak(e v. 1 b.) c. Of a church service: Lacking a celebrant. (Vak(e v. 1 c.) d. Of a kingdom or throne: Having no king or heir. (Vak(e v. d, cf. Vacance n. 1 c.) e. Of a court of law: In recess, not sitting. (Vak(e v. 1 f, cf. Vacance n. 2.) f. Of a place, country: Empty, not occupied. (Vak(e v. 1 g.) g. Of time: Not occupied with work, given over to holidays. (Cf. Vacance n. 2.) h. Of a bird: Lacking a mate. i. Of goods: Absent (from a place).Quot. Dunb. in h has been taken as a ppl. adj. showing agreement with berdis n. rather than as a variant of Vacance n.. Such an interpretation is, however, possible.a. predic. 1405 Lennox Mun. 57.
The patronage of the said kirk … alse often as it happinys to be vacand c1420 Wynt. vii 1911.
The byschapryke off Dunkeldyn … Fell wacand [C. wakande, W. vakand] c1420 Wynt. vii 2164 (C).
Wacande 1471 Aberd. B. Rec. I 30.
The office of belmanschip of this burgh was vacand 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 219.
The beidmanschip … now vacand in thair [sc. the council's] handis 1608 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 45.
The office of lokman … vacand be the deceis of Jhonn Inneis 1622-6 Bisset I 99/30.
Within sex dais … excommunicate … quhasumevir salbe fundin gyltie … and the kirkis … to be void and vacand 1646 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 61.
Seing umquhill Duncan Donaldsone, some tyme your honours servand, his place is now vacand, and at your honouris disposition 1640 Spalding I 261.
The said office of the cannon law … now waccand be dimissione of Mr. Roger Mowatt 1660 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 191.
He … haid removit and left his charge vacand … therfor they haue appointit [etc.] 1693 Rothesay B. Rec. 487.
Thee Estates of Parliament … did declare this burgh vaccand of wanting a comissioner to represent them(b) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 48.
Giff thar be bot a kirk in al the heritagis gif it fallis to be vakande 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 203/2.
Makand him Bute pursevant … now wakand(c) 1524 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 204.
Our soverane lord … declaris all offices pertenyng to his grace to be vaikand in his handis 1539 Haddington B. Rec. in Soc. Ant. II 397.
That the paroche clerkschip of the Kyrk of Haidinton is waikand be the deceis of Sir Adam Hepburn 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 589/2.
Vaicand(d) 1650 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 20.
Vecand(e) 1563 Actes Generall Assembly for Confirming Bookes of Discipline Church of Scotland (1621) 12 (25 June).
When any benefice shall chance to vake or is now vacant 1640 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 419.
The medicineris place now waccant(f) c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. 5.
The abbey of Pasley be the forfeiture first of the Hamiltons, thereafter of the Erskins, being vakeing … was bestowed upon the toune of Edinburgh c1620 Sutherland Bk. II 339.
Whensoewer … the digneties of that church ar waiking, do your endewoir to get thes places supplied by your freinds 1621 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1906) 103.
His place in Session nowe vaicking be his deceis 1648 Strathbogie Presb. 86.
For suffering that kirk lye vaiking so long(g) 1621 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 26.
Vackinge 1651 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II 320.
The place of the bibliothecarie quhensoever vackeing 1660 Duncan Glasg. Physic. & Surg. 71.
Vacking(h) 1649 Lamont Diary 11.
The minister of Daicke … was excommunicate, and his church declared vacaneattrib. 1622-6 Bisset I 113/5.
The foirsaid vacand place(b) 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 84.
The vaccant roumes of the ministerie to be filled 1649 Sc. N. & Q. XII 75.
The presbetries … to plant vacant kirkes vith convenient dilligence 1671 Laing MSS 381.
Concerning the filling up the vaucant bishopricks(c) 1642 Kirkcaldy Presb. 223.
To give them a lite of able men foir thair vaiking place 1644 Acts VI i 66/1.
The presentationes vnto the vaiking kirks 1652 Lamont Diary 47.
A visitatione of the vniuersities (appointed by the English), … They desyred that no vaking place in the colledge be filled till they were acquaintedb. 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 48.
Fra hir husband be ded quhether the dowar of the wif is wakand or nocht wakand, gif it be wakand the wif may put hir in hir dowar [Skene Reg. Maj. i 26, After the deceis of the husband, the dowrie of his wife … is vaicand (possessed be na man) or nocht vaicand … Gif it is vaicand, the wife may take possession thereof] 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 54.
The broder of him deid the land in his hand takis as it is of his fe & vakand 1508–9 Reg. Privy S. I 276/1.
To set … the kingis landis … that is vacand or sal happin to vaik 1524–5 Stirling B. Rec. I 21.
The nixt wakand alteragh that wakis within thar parocht kirk 1532–3 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 89.
That thai be reput … unhabill tenenttis … and thair takis vacan in my saidis lordschipis handis to hef fre disposition thairof 1536–7 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 83.
To roupe the vacand commoun aikeris 1554 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 156.
Wakwand 1578 Conv. Burghs I 56.
For placing of the commoun stapill of this realme with ȝoue in the auld place … quhilk hes bene waquant and removet to syndrie places this tyme bypast 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 18 June.
Allexander Goddisman & Johne Hendere … grantit thame selfis … lauchfully warnit & ramowit fra thair landis … & als grantit thame to leif the samyng vacand & fre within thre days 1616 Crim. Trials III 416.
The landis … disponit to him be our souerane lord, as vaikand 1650 Strathbogie Presb. 141.
Allowing the former hundreth merkis of the wacand stipend for the said vse 1670 Fraser P. 256.
Whairby I may attaine to … on of your bussaries now vaikand 1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 27.
Collector of the vaccand ministers stipends(b) 1622 Stirling B. Rec. I 157.
They assigne to him the first vaiking gilbrotheris fyne that sall occur to thamec. 1458 Peebles B. Rec. I 126.
Sir Wilyam of Fulop chapellane sal be present and put in and to the first service that sal hapyn vacand in thair gouernans 1477 Peebles B. Rec. I 181.
The said seruice than wacand … be the deces of the wmqwhyll master Jhond. c1420 Wynt. viii 27.
Quhill thus the kynryk wes wakand [C. wakande, W. wacand] 1513 Doug. xiii x 119.
The kyng Latynus can deces And left the ceptre vacand to hys hand 1533 Boece 221b.
Britan, vacant of ane prince for the tyme 1689 Acts XII 60/2.
He hath forfaulted the ryght of the crown and the throne is become vaccante. c1650 Spalding II 234.
Oure soueraigne lordis sessioun sitis not doun in Edinbrughe, the first of November, … bot wes vaikand the haill wynter sessioun 1656 Stitchill Baron Ct. 8.
Gif justice be not vaicand for the tyme or other way, persewers not to be heardf. a1460 Misc. Bann. C. III 37.
Hiber … fand it [sc. Ireland] vakand, savand a certane of gyandis quhilkis he destroyit c1475 Wall. x 531.
As Bruce at the palȝoun So entryt in, and saw wacand his seitg. 1628 Red Bk. Menteith II 102.
Becaus of vacant tyme of holiedayes 1637 Acts Sederunt ii 49.
Comprehending heirin all vacant and feriat tymes 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 259.
The workers at the … coall pitts spends all in drinking having so many vackand dayes 1662 Haigs of Bemersyde 472.
It. for vacant days 9 s.h. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 206.
Ȝe speik of berdis one bewch: of blise may thai sing That on Sanct Valentynis day, ar vacandis [M. vakandis] ilk ȝer c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 30.
This samin day … Is consuetude to all kin foule of flicht, Quha is vakand to cheis thame than ane maiki. 1561–2 Inverness Rec. I 72.
And the same to remane with thame selffis or ellis to sell it to sum oder nychtbor of our bruch quhar throw that sic waris may be vaccand on the schyppys for decoring of our bruch and imbringing of merchandris … to the towneschip