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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dum, a. Also: dwm(e, dume, dumme, doum(e, dombe. [e.m.E. and ME. dombe, dumb(e, etc., OE. dumb.]

1. Unable (naturally or temporarily) to speak; lacking the faculty of speech. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1591.
Dume men … thare gettis speke Ib. xxxvi. 99.
He duelt dum til tym wes gane of his office c1420 Wynt. v. 2115.
[The image] is bath dum, and deffe 1456 Hay I. 195/24.
Blynd men, def men, dum men c1420 Ratis R. 670.
Me lykis for to leif of as dwme c1475 Wall. vi. 416.
His dum falow [led] hym on to thair ost a1500 Prestis of Peblis 152.
The dwm men speche, the blynde men get thar sicht 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 376.
To ane dum child that kepit the ȝet in Lochmabane 1513 Doug. xii. xii. 59.
For feir the bestis dum all standis by 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. liii.
Thay gat advertising … , that thay wer doum beistis under the figure of men c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2492.
All men may se thay ar dum, deif, and blynd a1578 Pitsc. I. 235 h.
How the king pat ane dume woman in Inchkeith 1587-99 Hume Epistle 312.
They are bot stocks and stains, bos, deid, and dum 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 65.
Ane dombe man, ane deife man

b. absol. Also with a, a dumb person. a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 767.
To dum he gef spekyng, & to def the herynge c1515 Asl. MS. II. 272/5.
To leper leche, crukit, blynd, deif & dwm 1596 Dalr. I. 122/12.
A murthirer, a dum, or vngrate to his parents

2. Not making use of speech; remaining silent. ?1438 Alex. ii. 9477.
Sa was sho based, dum and still, That sho said nouther gude nor ill 1461 Liber Plusc. 387.
Sum ar heire crous that thaire will syt full dum c1460 Consail Wys Man 42.
Befor wykit men wysmen dwm is c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 32.
Off all sic wirdis he wes full dum, So soir he wes agast 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 124.
Eith is defens to say nay, or be dum 1562-3 Winȝet I. 12/19.
The secund idol is the wickit dum pastour 1558-66 Knox I. 164.
That dolt … was as doume as a bitle in that mater Ib.
When he had said these wordis, thei were all doume 1570 Sat. P. xx. 27.
Quhy sit I dum and dar not mum? a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 820.
Speik on, … We think ȝe hald ȝe dum c1650 Spalding II. 279.
Nor the people sufferit to pray … bot all to be silent and dum

3. Dispensing with speech. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 5/16.
Ȝour dum doctrine in exalting ceremoneis only, without ony declaration of the samin 1567 G. Ball. 15.
Dum ceremoneis, the quhilk thame self hes maid