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

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

Quotation dates: 1375-1682

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Bind, Bynd, v. Also: binde, bynde, bynnd, byn; p.t. band, bound; p.p. bundin (-ine, -ing), -yn(e, -en, bwndyn, bondin(g, -yn, boundyn, -in(g; bund (ybund), bonde, bound(e, bownd; boune, bowne, bun (bvn, bwn). [ME. binde(n, bynde(n, ONhb. (and ON.) binda, OE. bindan.]

1. tr. To tie, fasten, make fast, with a cord, bond, etc.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 85.
Thane gert he rath sanct Petire bynde
a1400 Ib. iii. 646.
One the croice thai suld hym … bynd faste
c1420 Wynt. iii. 262.
Thai come To bynd … Sampsone
a1500 Bernardus 94.
Geff auarice thi purs sal lows and bynde
a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1560.
The tother arme than gart he bynd
c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 45.
Thought I wald bynd it with a wickir
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2374.
Thay bryng mad men … And bvndis thame to sanct Mongose crosse
1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 298.
For towis to bind the fallow that wes skurgit
1595 Duncan Appendix.
Vieo, to binde with wandes
(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 515.
Symon … band ane hell hound at his ȝete
a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 838.
The worthi man thai band than son
c1420 Wynt. iii. 386.
Wytht thai rapys scho him band
c1420 Ib. iv. 2661.
His bestys twa … Till a cryb … He band wp
a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 797.
He band his blonk to ane busk
1496 Treasurer's Accounts I. 294.
To the sowtare that band the pailȝounis
c1515 Asloan MS I. 241/18.
[Thai] tuke the letter and band it on ane burd
1555 Peebles B. Rec. 209.
He band Thome Alexander handis
1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 179.
Scho tuik twa oxin, and band in on seill
1601 Criminal Trials II. 360.
Thay band ane tedder about his nek
(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints vi. 591; a1400 Ib. xl. 1130.
Bundyne faste bath fwt & hand
c1420 Wynt. viii. 1484; c1420 Ib. 6026.
A cophyn … Lokyt and bwndyn wyth sylver brycht
a1500 Bk. Chess 275.
Bunding he was in chenȝeis
a1500 Doug. King Hart 204.
Thay kan thame bundin bring
1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 217.
That … Thomas sould be haid bundyne to the gallos
1549 Complaynte of Scotland 102/19.
Ane vthir speyr … bundyn athort betwix the twa speyris
1560 Rolland Seven Sages 79/21.
Fast bundin hands and feit
1568 Inverness B. Rec. I. 172.
Quhilk sek was bundin wyth ane raipe of stray
(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 631.
Quhar he … wes … Bondyn & befte
1489 Brus x. 382 (E).
Ky or oxin … wont to be bondyn left tharout
(c) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 1159.
Him selff ... he ordand . . Bownd on the trest ... to sit
1513 Doug. xi. xi. 56.
This tendir ȝonglyng, bund onto this tre
c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 571.
Quhen Talbartis woundis wes bund up fast
c1552 Id. Mon. 3812.
[He] brocht thame, all bound, to Babilone
1560 Rolland Seven Sages 70/13.
Thay war fast bound to ane stock
a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xlii. 165.
Ilkane with other be the top is bound
1638 Ann. Banff I. 81.
To be … knut and bund to the trie

b. In various figurative contexts.Sometimes in alliterative phrases, as bundin in bale.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxv. 231.
Al my synnis … I band as it a byrne had ben
?1438 Alex. ii. Prol. 12.
Than ga I boundin all in baill
?1438 Ib. 193.
In his bandoun he walde hir binde
1456 Hay II. 139/9.
Evill collis that byndis mannis body
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 289.
He is nocht, that bonde is in inwy
a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 240.
Wysemen thus ar bund in thi bondage
1490 Irland Mir. I. 53/24.
He … bindis and festynnis him in syn
a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 233.
I hald me bund till ignorance
1513 Doug. i. Prol. 299.
Richt so am I to Virgillis text ybund [Sm. ybound]
1533 Gau 62/5.
He … band thair conscience sua that [etc.]
1535 Stewart 37223.
Into the breist … [he] stoppit wes and bun
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4350.
Quhame ever he byndis … , Thay boundin ar in Goddis sycht
a1568 Bannatyne MS 221 b/11.
I … in hir bandone lyis bundin moir and moir
1596 Dalr. I. 118/28.
The dissolute maneris … sa wyslie thay band
1619 Edinburgh Testaments L. 255 b.
Being lang bund to the bed of seiknes

c. absol. in the phr. to bind and lous.a1400 Legends of the Saints Prol. 136.
He thame gafe Playne power … To bynd and lois
1456 Hay I. 254/15.
All lawis ar till him opyn, to bynd and lous at his will
c1500 Rowll Cursing 7.
Vnder the lord to lous and bind
1584 Acts III. 359.
Ane absolute power to bind and louse

d. tr. To bind (a book). Cf. Binding vbl. n.1620 Wedderb. Compt. Bk. 73.
My Hector Boethis in Laten, weill bund
1644 J. Row p. xxvi.
The book of our Covenant … bund be Johne Andersone's sone

2. To unite in alliance or attachment.1375 Barb. v. 303.
Douglas … gret blithnes had That the gud men of his cuntre Wald swa-gat bundin till him be
c1420 Wynt. vii. 1722.
Hys Erlys and Barownys … bwndyn wes … In fermely festnyd alyawns To the Kyng Henry off Ingland
c1420 Ib. viii. 6725.
Gyf scho bunding ware in wedding
1485 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 137.
Baith the said lordis ar bundyn ilk ane till vthir in lawtie and kyndnes
c1515 Asloan MS I. 192/4.
Quhill the Saxonis war falslie sworne to the Bretonnis and bundyn to tham
1530 Maxwell Mem. I. 261.
It salbe lefull to thame to bynnd thame in manrend to quham thay plesor
1535 Stewart 18439.
Thus wer thai bund with letteris seillit braid

3. To put (oneself or another) under a bond or obligation (to do something); to constrain or restrict in respect of action.In legal documents freq. combined with other verbs, esp. oblis, and common in the pres. tense or the past participle.(a) 1405 Maxwell Mem. I. 146.
At the said setting and maling sal nocht byn the saidis Schir Williame … bot as analiar
c1420 Wynt. vii. 3060.
He wald on na wys Thar-off bynd hym till assys
c1420 Ib. viii. 592.
That ilke custwme suld … bynd his tenandis
1456 Hay I. 130/3.
That ath byndis him nocht agayn his fader
1456 Ib. 254/3.
To bynd the pape be the Emperouris lawis
1463 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 375B.
We … byndis & oblisis ws ane as batht & batht as ane
1474 Lennox Mun. 103.
I … byndis, oblisis, astrenȝeis and drawis me … to the saydis Patric and Waltir, … to be tane, pundit [etc.]
1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 18.
Bindand the said Elizabet … neuer to cum in the contrare
1531 Bell. Boece I. 56.
For the observation thairof, he wald bind him … under quhat astrictionis thay plesit
1562-3 Winȝet I. 72/16.
Quhen ȝe … bindis and astrictis ws only to the doctrine … set furth at Geneua
1589 Aboyne Rec. 166.
Quhilkis letters of reversionis … we bind and oblis us … to warrand
1682 St. A. Baxter Bks. 142.
Quhilk act and ordinance we … bindis and obleis us to obtemper
(b) 1482 Acts Lords Auditors 108/1.
An instrument … in the quhilk he band him to pay the sade sovme
1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. 44.
Witnesis … deponit that John Mannis band bot his hand and his gudis for the vphaldyn of his land
1622-6 Bisset II. 248/6.
Marineris band theme with there maisteris [that, etc.]
1630 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 244.
The regiantis … band thame to ratifie his Majesties decreit
(c) 1409 Exchequer Rolls IV. p. ccxii.
Gif Robert Stewart … and Archibald of Douglas … will be … bundyn to this band
c1420 Wynt. vii. 969.
The Kyng … Gert all thai Statys bundyn be Till the Emprys in fewté
c1420 Ib. 3190.
This Kyng … wes hale Bwndyn to lyve be cownsale Off this Kyng Henry
1459 Ayr Chart. 32.
The said fare thai … ar bundin til ws thareuppoune to kepe yerli as efferis
1474 Treasurer's Accounts I. 10.
Of amerciament for the quhilk Wedast Gresone wes bundin for his cousing
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 605.
I am so boundyn with wytnes to be leill
1488 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 48.
It sall nocht be lauchfull … to ressett … ane vther mannis prentis … sa lang as he is bunden to his maister
1490 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 102.
A last of salmonde … for the quhilk the said Thomas was bundin be his obligatioun
?a1500 Steel Roy Robert 198.
At we are bunding of det to do
1506 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll. V. 85.
To be bounding and oblist [etc.]
1520 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 306.
To be bondin and oblissit … that I [etc.]
1536–7 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 82.
The saidis persones being alwayes bundin and thirlit to the saidis commoun mylnis and to grynd all thair malt and cornys thairat
1573 Reg. Privy C. II. 310.
We undersubscriband to be bundin and obleist [etc.]
1595 Paisley B. Rec. 166.
[Thai] become actit, bundin and obleist that [etc.]
1603 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 106.
To be bundin and obleist … as followis
(b) 1456 Hay I. 192/10.
Sa is he nocht bound to na subjectioun of law
1456 Ib. II. 47/33.
Sa suld the knycht be till his lord bounde in lautee
1463 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 375 B.
To be bunde & sekirly to be oblist [etc.]
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 57.
War noucht I was bonde in my legiance
1496 Acts Lords of Council II. 16.
The sade Lord of Innes is bund to keip him skaithles of the sade soume
1513 Doug. ii. iii. 30.
To na cuntra nor lawis am I bund
1517 Reg. Privy S. I. 449/1.
Personis … quhilkis wil be bund to remane and leif under the kingis obedience
1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 61.
At his entrie to his prenteiship before he becum bund
1596 Dalr. I. 114/8.
The hail nobilitie … ar bund of that necessitie, that [etc.]
1622-6 Bisset II. 241/22.
He is bund to restoir the awaill as it is prysed
1660 Aberdeen B. Rec. IV. 194.
The present Commissioners finding themselues bund to indevor that no disaffected person [etc.]
(c) 1475 Peebles B. Rec. 174.
And that the said William is boune and oblest to kep
1482 Bk. Carlaverock I. 440.
The saidis procuratouris ... has bowne thaim that ... it salbe na hurt ... to the said Lord

4. To make (a compact, etc.) firm or sure. Also with up.1375 Barb. x. 825.
That cunnand band thai sekirly
c1420 Wynt. vii. 2014.
Bandys betwene thame richt straitly Bwndyn [were] … off cumpany
1456 Hay II. 94/21.
Alsa it efferis to the king to bynd trewis
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi. 910.
Quhat I bynd her oure baronage sall consent
c1475 Ib. ix. 663.
Be thar chansler the tothir pees was bwn
c1515 Asloan MS I. 239/5.
Thai send furth Snawdoun the kingis herrod to Lundoun to bynd wp the trewis
1513 Doug. xi. iii. 75.
Twelf days of trewys thai band
a1568 Scott ii. 105.
Thay band vp kyndnes in that toun
1568 R. Bann. Memor. 163.
It is … finallie contractit and bundin vp betuix … Sir Williame Kirkcaldie … and [etc.]
a1578 Pitsc. I. 136/26.
Ane perpetuall band of amitie and freindscheip to be bund wpe

5. absol. To make a bond, bargain, etc.1456 Hay I. 182/2.
Suppose the capitane wald oblis him … ȝit may he nocht bynd bot for his awin folk
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi. 927.
Than band thai thus; thar suld be no debait
c1475 Ib. ix. 559.
Gyff ȝon be he that band for him and his
1480 Acts Lords of Council 46/2.
William Boyde band and oblist and swore that … he sall nocht entermet withe the landis nor gudis
1596 Dalr. I. 150 marg.
Eder refuses to bind with the Romanes
a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxii. 30.
I will not bind, bot vhair I bound to byde

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