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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.

Gud(e, Guid, a. Also: gudde, gwde, guide, guyd(e, gvid, gwid, gwyd, gued, guyed, goud, gowd, gouid, gowid, gode. [Northern ME. gude, ME. good(e, goud(e, god(e, OE. gód.] Good, in various usual senses.

1. Of persons in respect of character or ability. Freq. as a complimentary epithet.See also Gudeman, Gudewife.(a) 1375 Barb. xi. 232.
The erll of Murreff, … Vith othir monygud baroune Ib. xvi. 367.
The gud Lord of Dowglas Ib. xix. 214.
As gud Cristyn the gast he gaf a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 212.
Quhen the gud fo(l)k had Apone the se mad lang a-bad c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1484.
Without counsell of sum gud governour Ib. 1825.
Gud Agamenon the king c1420 Wynt. viii. 1041.
Be resowne off this bowsumnes Mald the gud Qwene cald scho wes ?1438 Alex. ii. 1678.
Betys and Cassamus the gud Him followit neir c1450-2 Howlat 463.
The gud king gaif the gaist to God c1475 Wall. vii. 978.
Ramsay gert byg strang bestials off tre Be gud wrychtis Ib. x. 225.
Thai ar gud Scottis men a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 25.
Gif thow iykis for till haue pryse, … Be gud of lyf 1560 Maxwell Mem. II. 23.
Yowr gwd freind, James 1586 Waus Corr. II. 370.
I douit nocht bot ye wilbie the gudfallowe to me, and gif me pairt c1616 Hume Orthog. 18.
I was in the south with a special gud frende of myne(b) 1375 Barb. xiii. 694.
Ane knaiff child … That eftir his gude eld-fadir wes Callit Robert ?1438 Alex. i. 606.
The gude King … that we Hald for our lord and avowie 1456 Hay I. 54/16.
Gude men of were Ib. 162/18.
A gude gardenare Ib. II. 90/9.
Thus throu gude example … otheris ar maid gude a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 118.
Than spak schir Gawane the gay, gratious and gude 1493 Lindores Abbey 181.
He to be gude lord to thaim 1535 Stewart 10151.
Bruther sone to gude quene Voida 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 971.
Abraham and Ysaac war ryche, and verry gude a1500 Peblis to Play 71.
Ar ȝe our gude … To lat thame gang besyd ȝow? 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 19.
In Court that time was gude Dauid Lyndsay Ib. Epil. 47.
All gude wemen thay may defy thé 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 14.
The gude and vertuous lady … brocht the copie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcv. 50.
A gritter theif did neuer ryd … Ouir mwir and myris ouir gude a gyd(c) 1450 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 127.
This ȝe do befoir guyd witnes c 1515 Douglas Corr. 67.
Becaus I se ȝour guyd grace traistyd me c1500-c1512 Dunb. xviii. 8.
Sum callis me guid, sum sayis I lie 1533 Gau 8/31.
To … dreid hime of luiff as the guid bairne dois his fader 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 265.
Mr Killigrave, a guide and godly protestant a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 93.
Greit is the gloir of ȝour granfatheris guid 1622-6 Bisset I. 94/17.
Sa that … the cuir of the saules be exercised be guid and godlie persones(d) 1588 Cath. Tr. 204/29.
To seke ane end, quhilk all gowd Catholikis do imbrace

b. Used in addressing a person. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 888.
Than said Zozimas to that fre, ‘Gud modyr, [etc.]’ Ib. xxxii. 297.
Gwde systire, I ame cumyne here ?1438 Alex. i. 246.
Gude schir, ȝe se in quhat affray The folks of Gadris hes us set c1475 Wall. ii. 89.
Till him he ȝeid, and said, ‘Gud freynd [etc.]’ a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 64.
Gud sone, do my bidding c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 796.
Thairfoir, gude maister, saue my lyfe 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5845.
Gude schirs, lay by all hid invy a1568 Bann. MS. 139 b/103.
I counsall thé, gude broder 1567 G. Ball. 19.
Saif vs, gude Lord, for thy promis diuyne 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 4.
Gude redar, in this genealogie [etc.]

c. In absolute use, sing. and plural. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 462.
Haly folk … As gud that fra ill ar losine ?1438 Alex. ii. 1466.
Quhair the gude is erle or knicht, Duke or admerall or king of micht Ib. 1479.
Me think … That the gude and the hardy Of ȝour cours [F. cors] sall haue warrandy c1450-2 Howlat 86.
I will go to that gud, his grace for to grap c1475 Wall. xi. 751.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay … And othir gud at had bene fra him lang a1500 Bk. Chess 539.
Get I a schrew, I had befor a gud 1580 Cath. Tr. 69/34.
Be the obseruation of the lentren, the ewill ar discerned from the guid 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 47.
The scriptour … Unto the guid [is] a gyd

d. With complementary additions. 1456 Hay II. 155/24.
That he be gude of compt, and have a clere mynd c1515 Asl. MS. I. 261/8.
This Alexander was gud to haly kirk and clergy 1558 Soc. Ant. IV. 411.
That his Lordschip wald be sa gude as to schaw gude and edificative example a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xxi. 19.
Kirkmen affoir war gude of lyf a1578 Pitsc. I. 7/4.
Thair was nane so guid to haue the auctorie 1609 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) Oct. 10.
I am not sa guid on fute as I wes

2. Of material things (or animals), in respect of quality or worth.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 45.
At thare vil gud vend [= wind] thai had 14.. Acts I. 33/2.
Scho sall mak gud ale and approbabill c1420 Wynt. i. 823 (C).
Thar adamantis, thai say, ar gud c1460 Wisd. Sol. 669.
Men suld in gud dais vs gud thingis 1485 Liber Aberbr. 241.
Twa barallis off salmond gud and sufficient a1500 Bk. Chess 1000.
Baith cope & dische of gold and siluer gud 1530 Reg. Soltre 98.
The biggingis … [to] be reparit and new biggit … als gud [as before] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1778.
This gud hound rais, and of his sleip did walk(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 51.
Na clathis he had, at ware gude, Bot kirtil and clok c1420 Wynt. i. 823.
Thare adamant, thai say, is gude 1419 Liber Melros 502.
Fowrty pundis of gude and vsuale moné 1429 Acts II. 18/2.
The ȝeman that is nane archere … sal haif … a gude ax 1456 Hay I. 115/22.
That it be nere wod and gude water Ib. 131/30.
Gude warme clething and gude fyris Ib. II. 163/21.
A faire and gude gardyn c1500 Interl. Droich 173.
Givis me a drink sa it be gude 1535 Stewart 5442.
Sindrie tymes we se That rycht gude fruct cumis of ane gude tre 1547 Reg. Cupar A. II. 56.
Thay payand … ilk tuay ȝere anis ane fed bair gude and sufficient 1567 G. Ball. 18.
All fude is gude, the quhilk God creat hes Ib. 26.
I am stark and wycht, To wacht gude wyne 1596 Dalr. I. 16/16.
Renfrou … brewis gude ale commended throuch the hail land(c) 1517 Edinb. Hammermen 95.
I was chargit bath with guid and ewill [placks and pennies] 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 434.
Ane pek guid and sufficient beyr 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 343.
To devyde the guid and sufficient fische fra the wrak and evill 1598 Stirling B. Rec. I. 88.
Thrie hundrethe poundis guid and usual monye of this realme ?1549 Monro W. Isles 44.
Ane ile, … with guide pastorage for sheepe

b. As a complimentary epithet of toun and schip.(1) 1510 Prestwick B. Rec. 42.
Adame Lepper has maid the atht of fidelite to the gud toun 1532 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 58.
The gude toun till … carye the stanys to the calsay 1562 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 342.
Because the said Thomas … hes borne office of dignitie and charge of this guid toune 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 406.
Michaell Chisholme, vnder factour and chalmerlen to the guid toun of the said abbacie [of Paisley] 1649 Ib. VIII. 190.
He left to the guid towne the sowme of fyve thowsand merkis(2) 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 9.
Thomas Boyes, skipper and maister of the gude ship of Aberdeen callit ‘The Gift of God’

3. With abstract nouns in various senses.In frequent use with many of these, as array, chere, comfort, dede, effect, entent, faith, fame, hap, hede, helth, hope, kepe, life, lu(c)k, memore, mind, name, ordour, part, point, renoun, resoun, reule, service, spede, thewis, werk, q.v. for examples.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 4.
Storys … said on gud maner Ib. v. 260 (E).
For gud help is in gud begynnyng a1400 Leg. S. i. 133.
I sal gyf gud leif hym till To pase frely Ib. ii. 1108.
Paule … Gud ensampill can ws mak c1400 Troy-bk. i. 4.
Thai of kynd gud knawlege haue Ib. 110.
One our wayage furth to pas In gud pece 1461 Liber Plusc. 387.
Scho mad gud end, and deit with all gud devys c1420 Ratis R. 578.
With hir comfort and hir gud red c1475 Wall. ii. 312.
Thir tithingis ar noucht gud Ib. viii. 588.
The ost he maid in gud quyet to be 1490 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 187.
That we sall … be for the said Alexander in all his … gud caussis 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. 33.
That … he haldis fra hym ane unicorne to gud cownt and reknyn 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 182.
The … incressing of … amite and gud luf amang the merchandis 1554 Holyrood Chart. 293.
Certene maisteris of the samyn craft … hes diuisit … certane gwd statutis 1617 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 413/1.
The erles … with diuers knights and gentlemen of gud sort(b) 1409 Exch. R. IV. p. ccx.
Thar [thai] sal preve gude acorde with the avisment of thair batheris counselis 1456 Hay I. 88/15.
Quhen the end is gude of a thing, all is callit gude Ib. II. 12/33.
Be noblesse of curage … and gude custumes Ib. 127/9.
Quhen ony persone has gude appetite till ete 1482 Edinb. Chart. 155.
Sex thousand ducatis of gold … , gude and just wecht 1507 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 709.
For the … gude lyking that I hawe of the said Johne 1531 Bell. Boece I. 179.
The commoun pepil, … wer reformit in gudde maneris 1535 Stewart 405.
To cum and commoun for gude pece and rest Ib. 20990.
In ȝoung Fergus tha had so gude beleve 1560 Rolland Seven S. 397.
The vther sex said … His counsall was gude and conuenient 1567 Sat. P. v. 23.
Thocht ȝour curage was gude 1572 Ib. xxxiii. 133.
He is brocht vp in all gude thing 1587-99 Hume Epistle 162.
A gude devise is worthie to be coft 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 174.
Ane letter to shaw that the siluer wes fyned and that the wark had takin gude succes(c) 1448 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 114.
Gif it beis fundyne be ane guyd and leile inquisitioune 1544 Maxwell Mem. I. 287.
[To give] sentence … efter faith, lauty, and gvid conscience 1546 Grant Chart. 98.
The said James makand guyd payment 1570 Leslie 163.
Efter lang ressoning and guide advisement a1578 Pitsc. i. 24/25.
He was ane ȝoung man of singular guid appeirance Ib. 119/10.
James … gave the messengeir ane guid ansuer 1600-1610 Melvill 185.
He causit wryt a copie in guid wrait 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 265.
The towne … to put the said mylne in a guid frame(d) a1578 Pitsc. I. 346/24.
I nor hie … may be raknitt … to do ony gode act 1635 Black Bk. Taymouth 441.
My gouid payment for my laist imployment 1641 Acts V. 530/2.
[To] rehabilitat … the said Margrat Stewart to hir goud fame

4. In absolute or predicative use, and in various constructions.(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 435.
Gud is we pas off thar daunger Ib. xi. 275.
Tharfor is gud we ordane now How we [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 81/33.
Is gude to knawe quhat is vertu cardynale Ib. II. 123/34.
It war gude to drink culand thingis efter 1461 Liber Plusc. 383.
Be caus the tother part … is verray suthfastness, me think it gud to put mare of it 1567 Sat. P. vii. 6.
Thair sentence … [I] thocht it guid to put in memorie 1584 Ib. xlv. 647.
Bot als gude he had sittin ydle a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xvi. 33.
It had been gude Into my cude Bereiving me my breath a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 102.
Sum of thame thocht gude to demitt him … to the Duke of Alva 1630 Maxwell Mem. II. 209.
It wer gud to writt to the bichop(2) c1460 Wisd. Sol. 515.
He fand, at ther was na thing in erd sa gud fore manis sone 1477 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 201.
The quhilk counsaile is guyde for the possessioune of the kirk 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2188 (B.).
It is ane bane of Sanct Brydis cow, Gude for the fevir cartane 1549 Compl. 67/5.
I sau … sourakkis, that vas gude for the blac gulset 1568 Buch. Indict. 44.
Sche … past to Setoun, having that place appoyntet as sche thoucht guid to hir towrne ?1549 Monro Western Isles 22.
Ane ile … namit Ellan Madie … is very guid for store, being bentey Ib. 55.
Ellan Ew, … full of woods, guid for thieves to wait upon uther mens gaire(3) 1456 Hay II. 131/27.
Than suid men ete all thing that war gude to purge … melancoly 1549 Compl. 67/13.
I sau borage, that is gud to confort the hart(4) a1578 Pitsc. I. 225/25.
Thir lordis war werie blyth, thinkand that all ewill was guid of frist

5. a. Qualifying words denoting or implying number, quantity, duration, or degree. 1375 Barb. ii. 554.
A gud quhile thar he soiournyt then Ib. iii. 401.
He gat schippyne gud plente c1420 Wynt. ii. 182.
The gast he yhalde, … In gud eylde and in rychtwysnes Ib. iv. 2053.
Presownerys tane in to that stede Wes reknyd sevynty thousand gude ?1438 Alex. i. 1646.
The blude that fra thame ran gude wane 1622-6 Bisset I. 33/13.
Be dammaige of his guid aige, sindrie displesuris followed in this realme Ib. II. 390/26.
Aiged and of guid ȝeiris

b. Als gude (as), as much (as). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 9.
Sum gevis for twyis ais gud agane c 1565 Ham. & Campsie Test. I. 25.
For pleucht grayth, carris, and harrowis, … in the ȝeir als gude as xij s. 1600-1610 Melvill 7.
God … wald repey twyse als guid, and nocht ly lang in na man's comoun 1604-31 Craig i. 27/16.
As children do for thryse as good agane

c. To make guid, to make up. 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 272.
The said Coline sall ansuer, and mak guid for the samyn to hir Hienis