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 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Belde, Beild, n. Also: beld, beyld(e, beil. [Northern ME. belde (c 1300), resource, confidence, boldness, ONhb. bældo (WS. bieldu, byldu), from bald (WS. beald), bold. The development of meaning is from ‘boldness’ to that which gives boldness through protection or aid. Still widely current (usually in sense 4) in Sc. and northern Eng. dial., and written beeld, beild, or bield. In early Sc. use more frequent in verse than prose.]

1. Protection, defence; succour, relief, resource; refuge, shelter. (As an abstract term, but sometimes implying sense 4.) c1420 Wynt. v. 1121.
For the beld of thine honowre, Thow do me lauch [= law], Schir empryoure a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 641.
Baith thair hartis can brist, braithly but beild a1500 Henr. Fab. 2536.
The wolf … ran restles, for he wist of na beild 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 16.
Hecuba thydder, with hir childer, for beild Ran al in vane Ib. xi. i. 134.
Quhou large support, hey! quhat beld or supple In hym hes tynt Ausonya the ryng 1531 Bell. Boece II. 482.
Quhen kingis ... hes na othir beild bot in thair awin folkis, thair empire is caduke Id. Livy II. 10/33.
Thus war all the pepill movit to extreme Ire … , sum parte be esperance of ane greter beild 1535 Stewart 34199.
The Scottis followit so fast on the chace, Efter the Danis quhair tha gat no beild c1550 Rolland C. Venus iv. 676.
It war mair meit seik to sum vther place, Quhair he war abill to get sum better beild 1585 James VI Ess. 44.
Then did she flie into an house for beild. Which from the storms might saue her as an sheild c1590 Stewart Poems 4.
ȝour royall defens, quhair vpon I setle my self and firmlie anckers my beild 1628 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 24.
Nor na … papistis be sufferit to hawe resset or beild within the said burght

b. Coupled with bute (erroneously buik). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxvii. 34.
Pleis we this Lord that did in battell byd For ws, quhilk had non vthir bute nor beild 1535 Stewart 14360.
Mony berne withoutin bute or beild, In that counter rycht cruellie wes keild Ib. 36952; etc.
Mony berne wist nother of bute no beild 1623 Lanark Presb. i.
This charme to be buik and beil to me

2. A person acting as a protector, comforter, support, etc., to another. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 494.
My blyse, my beld, my lef-man dere, Quhame of I thocht ay to hafe Solace & confourte Ib. xxviii. 79.
Scho beand in tendir elde, Hyr modyr, that was al hir beld, Deit c1420 Wynt. v. 888.
Wyth all mankynd off his eyld, He wes the joy callyd, and the beyld Ib. vii. 827.
He wes the beld off all hys kyn 1456 Hay I. 233/18.
The king suld be thair belde, and thair protectour c1450-2 Howlat 721.
Haile moder of our maker, … Haile bute of our baret, and beld of our blis a1500 Prestis of Peblis 127.
Welcome, beidmen, my blis & all my beld 1513 Doug. vi. iii. 74.
ȝe, my blissit moder, that our beild is Into this dowtsum cace, be nocht away 1533 Bell. Livy I. 219/14.
Ane ȝoung childe, quhilk was left at hame, … that the samyn mycht be ane beild to Romanis in tymes cummyn aganis Inemyis 1570 Sat. P. xiv. 31.
He was my buckler and my beild; He was my targe, my speir, and scheild

3. A thing serving to render protection or aid, to give support or sustenance, etc. c1420 Wynt. i. 1335.
Blessyde Bretayne beelde [C. beylde] sulde be Off all the Ilys in the Se a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 935.
With ane bitand brand, … Quhilk oft in battale had bene his bute and his belde 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 257.
Welcum [the sun], the byrdis beild apon the brer Ib. ix. 50.
Hys fader eyrit and sew ane peys of feld, That he in hyregang held to be his beild c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1087.
For fude thow gettis none vther beild, Bot eait the herbis apone the feild 1567 G. Ball. 107.
His word … Sall be thy buklar and thy beild

4. A place affording refuge or shelter. c1450-2 Howlat 508.
He bownyt till a batall, and the beld wan c1475 Wall. vii. 512.
Nocht was lewyt mar Bot the woode fyr, and beyldis brynt full bar 1513 Doug. iv. iv. 72.
For feir, to diuers stedis throu the feildis, Thai seik to haldis, howsis, hyrnys and beildis 1535 Stewart 2468.
Dowalus men that tyme that left the feild, On to ane strenth thai drew thame and ane beild 1591-2 Rob Stene ii.
Our hoilis and denis sowld be ȝour beild 1629 Reg. Privy C. Ser. 2 III. 68.
Nane to have residence, beild nor remaining thairin 1675 Cunningham Diary 8.
Promising to give Malcome some bield of a house and a yeard under him