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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.

Ground, n. Also: grounde, grownd, groonde. [ME. ground, grownd, earlier grund, OE. grund. Cf. Grond, Grund n.]

1. The surface (or substance) of the earth. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 264.
The staf, that is lange & rond, Thrist it fast done in the grownd c1450-2 Howlat 27.
The birth that the ground bure was browdin on breidis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1653.
The fyre, the air, the watter, and the ground c1475 Wall. vi. 10.
In Aperill quhen cleithit is … The abill grounde be wyrking of nature 1513 Doug. viii. xi. 38 (Sm.).
Sum vndermyndand the ground with a hoill

b. In the phrases on ground (also groundis), to (the) ground, the latter sometimes used fig. with bring.(1) 1375 Barb. x. 255.
The kyng … gert doun driff it [sc. the peel] to the ground Ib. xv. 527.
Qwhen Nevell thus wes broucht to ground c1420 Wynt. vi. 635.
That tyme thare thai browcht to grownd The kyng off that land, Saynct Edmwnd ?1438 Alex. ii. 10087.
Porrus, that sa great martirdome maid That mony great man to ground is gane 1456 Hay I. 50/19.
Quhare mony worthy man … was borne doune dede to grounde, throu dynt of hand a1500 Henr. Fab. 2940 (B).
Now on the quheill, now wappit to the ground Id. III. 146/21.
Thane fell that gay to groundis c1475 Wall. ix. 1634.
To ground the slyp can ga c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 82.
I bure hym bakwart to the ground c1550 Id. Meldrum 161.
At the first straik, … He founderit fordward to the ground 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4833.
Sum castis the tabill to the ground(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 73.
The best on ground that euer was borne c1450-2 Howlat 198.
Gret ganeris on ground in gudly awys Ib. 313.
The egill so grym, gretest on ground is a1500 Henr. III. 114/21.
No grume on ground my gardone may degraid a1500 Rauf C. 619.
Than said the gedling on grouud, ‘Ȝe, forsuith [etc.]’

c. The soil of the earth. c1420 Wynt. iv. 91.
As thai ware the grounde rypand 1456 Hay I. 44/9.
The masons fand a hedeles man in the place quhare thai sought the ground c1515 Asl. MS. I. 293/10.
To saw his seid in the ground quhar sic wikkit frute sall grow c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 553.
And yit we se thair dois nothing succeid, Bot barrane ground, with mony frutles weid 1598 St. A. Baxter Bks. 54.
The laboraris of the ground and husboudmen

2. A portion of the earth's surface. Of the ground, out of the way. c1420 Wynt. v. 5197.
Thare he begowth to red a grownd Quhare that he thowcht a kyrk to fownd 1513 Doug. i. vi. 72.
Ane husband … Rychast in all the ground of Phenyce 1533 Bell. Livy I. 140/23.
Aue strang toure … quhilk be municioun and straitnes of the ground apperit vnexpugnabil 1558-66 Knox I. 115.
Yf the Erle [etc.] … wold nott be Content to talk with the Governour, providit that the Cardinall and his cumpany war of the ground a1568 Bann MS. 139 a/86.
Ouer oft to hound in vnkowth ground, Thow ma tak vp vnbaittit 1598 Acts IV. 176/1.
Pompis for raising … of wateris … furth of mynes, coilheuchis, quarrellis, dround groundis and vtheris

b. A piece of ground owned or occupied by a person, or considered as landed property. 1454 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 14.
To tak vp the said tenement and the acris … as thair awin propir grovnde aud heritage 1498 Dunferm. B. Rec. 79.
To pas to the said grownde with … Schir John ande see gyff he ras erde and stane off the said grownde 1519 Orkney & Sh. Rec. I. 62.
[They] cam to his ground and bankis of Quhago, and tuik away his wair 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 523.
The awnar of the ground sa dispasturit 1622-6 Bisset I. 189/12.
The dewitie of the ground or house maill … to be provin be the landis laird

c. The tract of land forming the estate of a landowner; the persons residing on an estate. 1457 Acts II. 51.
That he mak na mare distribulance to the lord nor his grovnde in tym to cum 1469 Ib. 96/2.
That the gudis and catal of the pure mennis inhabitaris of the ground ar takin … for the lordis dettis 1472 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 26.
That the fermoraris sall tak the hors and the laid passand fra the mylns, the hors to be the lord of the groundis 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 13.
Persewit for nocht winning and leading sufficient leitt peittis according to the remanent of the ground c1650 Spalding I. 299.
He also plunderit the ground, barron, gentilman, hird, and hyreman, be the pvrs, be exacting of havie fynesattrib. 1549 Soc. Ant. XI. 92.
Quhar William Keyth tenent thare wes avand certane ground det

3. The bottom (of a vessel, cavity, wound, etc.). 1456 Hay II. 123/16.
The ground of the stomak is … mare forcy of degestioun na the humast part Ib. 154/10.
For sik mennis cofferis has na ground, bot ar unfillable a1500 Henr. Fab. 2412.
Than to the ground [sc. of a well] sone ȝeid the uolf in haist a1500 Lanc. 2079.
His dedly wound God helyth frome the ground

b. The bottom or bed of the sea or a stream; To take, or cum upoun, ground, to run aground. c1420 Wynt. i. 409.
That schype wes drywyn … Tyll on the hycht of Armeney Grownd it tuk instede off hawyn 1602 Conv. Burghs II. 142.
Gif ane skipper cumis vpoun ground with his schip 1622-6 Bisset II. 214/6.
Schippis … that past to the ground of the sea 1663 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 69.
Andro Mein to flag the ground of the burne

4. The base or foundation of an edifice or structure. Also fig. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1700.
Thare gret fortres than did thay founde, And kaiste tyll thay gat souer grounde 1578 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 72.
The red that the masonis maid at the making of the ground of the wall a1585 Maitl. Q. xlvi. 148.
Ȝour hous is build on him as he hes biddin, … God is the ground a1585 Polwart Flyt. 711 (T).
I … laid the ground quhairon thow, beist, begane To big the barge [v.r. brig] quhairon thow braggis maist 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 18.
Each maister of familie, … to lay to ane stone … , for laying the ground of the bow bridge over the milne-dam

b. Foundation, basis, ground(s); in various non-material applications. 1456 Hay I. 12/29.
The sothfastnes of haly wrytt, quhilk is the ferme ground of veritee Ib. 285/11.
Clerkis … ferrar can se in the ground of a mater na seculeris a1500 Bk. Chess 2187.
I beseik him, lord of all, Jesu, The ground of grace, the well of all werteu a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 592.
That fair ȝoung prince, … the ground of all gudnes 1551 Hamilton Cat. 13.
The foundatioun & ground of all our faith 1562-3 Winȝet I. 116/19.
Be thir vj quæstiounis follouing al the ground of thare doctrine is doung in the dirt 1589 Logie Par. Hist. I. 21.
He was fund to have sum mein knawledge in the grounds of religione

5. The field of a heraldic shield. c1450-2 Howlat 370.
Of pure gold was the ground, … flourit in fay