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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Loud, Lowd, a. and adv. Also: loude, lowde, lud, le(o)ud. [ME. loud(e, lowd(e, lud(e, OE. hlúd a., hlúde adv.]

1. Loud; also, uttered loudly and with emphasis, vehement, emphatic. Of sounds, utterances, also of loud-playing musicians, and fig.(1) c1460 Consail Vys Man 184; a1500 Prestis of Peblis 481.
Luf nocht … Na our loud lauchtyr na ladry a1568 Scott ii. 152. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 254.
Than carpit the cumly king, with ane lowd stevin Ib. 523.
He hard ane bugill blast brym and ane loud blaw a1500 K. Hart 579.
Reassoun and wit richt at the ȝet thay rang With rappis lowd 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 70.
Ane dyn … As heird of beistis stamping with loud cry c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxi. 1.
Now lufferis cummis with larges lowd Ib. lxxxv. 58.
Aue Maria … With lovingis lowde ellevyn 1513 Doug. vii. i. 88.
A gret flight of beys … With lowd bemyng gan alycht a1540 Freiris Berw. 416.
Thay … makis mirry cheir With sangis lowd c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4015.
With mony lowde allas 1562-3 Winȝet II. 76/25; a1578 Pitsc. II. 99/32.
Al the bischopes with loude woce assentit a1585 Polwart Flyt. 132 (Harl.).
We shall mell With laidlie language loud & lairge 1611 Melvill in Fugitive Poetry II. 4/14.
And soone a lowder voice their muttering stayes 1622-6 Bisset I. 153/29.
The four … maisseris … be ane lowde and heich voce … callis the pairties(2) 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 387.
To the five lowd menstrales, xl Franch crounis(3) fig. 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 21; c1552 Id. Mon. 108.
Scotland on thé may cry ane loud vengeance a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlv. 13.
Comunlie still syn makis loud schame 1600-1610 Melvill 77.
The ministers of Edinbruche … maid loud and tymus warning

2. a. Of persons: Noisy, clamorous, loud-voiced. b. Of a countryside: Filled with noise.a. c1420 Wynt. iii. 762.
Amang a pak of karlynys loud Flytand redy for to fecht a1487 Gud Wife & D. 15.
A woman suld … be Nocht lowd of lauchtir na of langage crous c1460 Thewis Wysmen 412.
Thai ar loudest of all the hous Gret vordy, clatterand and maist crous a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1057.
Lowd in lone was never a gude milk kw 1674 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 369.
The defender being loud with his father he putt him to the doorb. a1570-86 Maitl. F. lix. 3.
Quhen … all wes lowne befoir wes loude Causit be sylence of the nicht

3. Of lies: Open, unashamed; flagrant, palpable. 1535 Stewart 16412.
Mony loud lesing richt planelie thai culd mak Of this Donald a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxx. 46. 1598 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 91.
I heir ane liar makand ane loud lesing ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III. 53.
They … challendged it of so many lowde lyes … yet to this day thes lyes are not instanced

4. absol. On loud, with a loud voice, Aloude. a1500 Rauf C. 847.
On loud said the Saraȝine, ‘I heir thé now lie’ c1475 Wall. v. 243.
Or [1570, On] loude he sperde, ‘Quhat art thow [etc.]’ Ib. viii. 1020.
Ȝeit thai within on lowd defyit Wallace Ib. ix. 139, xi. 398.

5. adv. Loudly, with a loud voice or noise; out loud, aloud. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 113; Ib. xxvi. 1001, etc.
A gret menȝe com swdanly … & lud canne ȝele Ib. vii. 208.
& lovd that al hard this [he] gan cry [etc.] Ib. ix. 171, etc.
Lowd ?1438 Alex. ii. 9591.
We sould not greit bot lauch full loud c1420 Wynt. ii. 342, iii. 364. c1450-2 Howlat 764.
Claryonis lowde knellis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 875, etc. c1475 Wall. i. 430.
Than lewch he lowde and said [etc.] Ib. iv. 421.
His horn he hynt and bauldly loud can blaw Ib. vii. 267.
This woman than apon him loud can call c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 108.
Quhill loud resownyt the firmament serene Id. xxvi. 116. 1513 Doug. iii. i. 128.
The lattir hailsyng syne lowd schowtit thrys Ib. vii. Prol. 22.
So lowd ne rumyst wild lyoun or ber Ib. Direct. 85.
That Virgill mycht intill our langage be Red lowd and playn 1535 Stewart 48392. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 792.
I cry ȝow loud mercie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1206.
Scho cryit oft tymes full lowde allace c1590 Fowler I. 20/13.
Than Fowlars laude so lowde I herd them sound 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 151.
The wind that blew leoud … become calme and low[n]

b. (To lie, one who lies) flagrantly, openly. 1535 Stewart 23108.
Quhairfoir richt loud of him I trow tha le c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii. 45.
Loude leand loureis a1585 Polwart Flyt. 821 (T).
Feird fleir, loud leir 1615 Highland P. III. 236.
The Secret [Council] reiectit him opinlie and callit him ane leud leier

c. Loud and still, ‘loudly and quietly’, in every way, in all respects, altogether, entirely. (Nouther) loud na (nor) still, in no respect, not at all. Loud or still, ? in some way, to some extent. d. Stilly or loud, ‘quietly or loudly’, clandestinely or openly, in any way, at all. = MDu. lude ende (no, of) stille. Also ME. and e.m.E. loud and still, id.(1) 1375 Barb. iii. 745.
Thai … has him trewly wndertane That thai and thairis, loud and still, Suld be in all thing at his will ?1438 Alex. ii. 1378.
Than haue I lemman at my will And lufe I will baith loud and still Ib. 3156.
Said Gaudifere, ‘Baith loud and still, Wpone the best wyse that I may’ Ib. 3177, 3325. Ib. 7484.
Of auld Clarus that loud and still Vs weiris and distroyis our land Ib. 11000. a1500 Henr. III. 90/5.
I haif thé luvit lowd and still(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 2031.
I kepe na lufe, loud na still, Bot Cassamus quhill at he will Ib. 3132.
Bot tharfore suld nane euill will Be schauin in hart, nouther loud na still Ib. 2311, 5319.(3) ?1438 Alex. ii. 4604.
Gif I mak Mair bade … The knichtis or vther, loud or still, Sall say that I dar nocht assailȝed. 1453 Stirlings of Keir 226.
I … sal neuermar … mak ony persute … or demand in or to the said landis … in preve or in pert, stilly or lowde, rychtwysly or wrangwysly in worde or in dede 1454 Douglas Chart. 384.
With in jugement or with owt jugement, stilly or lowde, preve or pert, in the law or by the law 1477 Stirlings of Keir 251.
I had neuer possessione of the landis … in preue or in apert, stilly or loude