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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Medow, Medo, Mid(d)ow, n. Also: medou, meddow, medu, medw, medew, medeve; mido, middou, -ew, mydow; meid(d)ow(e, -ew; mad(d)ow; meadow, -ou. [ME. medow, medo (14th c.), medu (Cursor M.), middow (c 1430), e.m.E. meadow, early ME. medwe, medewe, meduwe, OE. mǽdwe oblique case of mǽd str. fem. (see Mede n.³).] (A) meadow, grass-land which is mown for use as hay.In some instances = ‘marshy grass-land where the natural coarse grasses are often cut for hay’ as in the later dial.For further examples, see Darg n. 2 b (also Dawerk n. 1 and Daywerk n.) and Maw v. 2 and 3.Early occurrences in place-names are: Gretrigesmedue (c 1170 Liber Calchou 192), Brademedue. -medwe (1200–2 Ib. 116), Stobimedue (a 1250 Liber Melros I. 254), Abbotis medue (c 1320 Liber Calchou 119); Meduflat (a 1200 Reg. Neubotle 52), Hollemedu (a 1250 Liber Melros I. 259), Camminesmedu (a 1300 Coldstream Chart. 30), Follawe medu (a 1300 Liber Calchou 258). Cragmedu (1306 Reg. Dunferm. 410, Meduspeth (1338 Reg. Neubotle 33), Medeuspot (1367 Reg. Great S. 58/1); Medow wel (1304 Lanark & R. 190), Parkmedow (1359 Exch. R. I. 572), -medouw (1365 Reg. Great S. 38/1), -medouwa (Ib. 58/1).(a) 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 260.
The playnt … of the eting of his part of the medo 1520 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 161. 1526 Carnwath Baron Ct. 54.
The … dykis to be maid about corn & medo in lawful tyme 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 46.
Girs furnest be the medo of Restabirk 1531 Bell. Boece I. 29. 1562 Reg. Cupar A. I. 362. 1566 Inchaffray Reg. 128.
To the lang medo 1571 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 32.
To … teill na part of medo of the saidis landis 1576 Orkney Oppress. 46.plur. 1457 Stirlings of Keir 231.
[I] haue giffin … the forsaide lande … in medois, pastouris and lesouris [etc.] 1479 Acta Aud. 91/1. 1505 Chart. Coupar A. II. 116.
Thai sal keip our medois wardis and brovme parkis fra … thair catel 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 518/1. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 210, II. 297. 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 117.
Thay … onputtis thair cattell … upoun the saidis complenaris medois, hanyngis and growand cornis(b) 1393 Reg. Great S. (1814) 239/2. (c 1580) Alex. ii. 4312.
Illius prati quod dicitur le commvne medow [de Dunde] 1441 Yester Wr. 51. 1471 Acta Aud. 16/2. 1473 Ib. 24/2.
vj acris of corne land of inland and ij acris of medow at the side a1500 Henr. Orph. 94. 1481 Acts II. 132/2. 1495 Reg. Cupar A. I. 248. 1501 Acta Conc. II. 493.
In fee of the yle, loch, medow and superiorite of … Cleuny 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV. 103. 1531 Wigtown B. Ct. 3 Feb.
Fore a scheryng of hyre medow 1549 Compl. 66/35.
Ane onmauen medou, the quhilk abundit vitht al sortis of hoilsum … eirbis c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 435.
The feild wes in the medow grene 1557 Reg. Cupar A. II. 129. 1565 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 425. 1565 Curle Coll. MS. (Reg. H.).
The saidis hauch and medou a1578 Pitsc. I. 336/3. 1598 Warrender P. II. 435.
The burrow loch was lettin owt at the north west end, dryit and becum medow 1598 Reg. Great S. 311. 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. 32. 1668 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 226.
That peece meddow that lyis nixt adjacent to the said beire landplur. 1420 (1431) Reg. Great S. 30/1.
The medowys to be the lordis awin c1515 Asl. MS. I. 242/21. 1513 Doug. vi. x. 108.
In soft bene medowis by cleir strandis 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 20.
The castell of West Nvdry, … medowis, grene, and dowcoite of the samin 1547 Reg. Cupar A. II. 44. 1565 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 596/2.
In territorio vocato the medowis 1590 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 249.
The commoun gyrs and medowis of the said burgh 1596 Dalr. I. 7/4.
Plesande medowis, verie pastoral, and garssie lesoueis Ib. 99/12.
Certane difficile myres quhilkes albeit thay be lyke medowis greine abone and lyke fast ȝeard appeir vndirneth ȝit [etc.](c) 1430 Raine N. Durham App. 110.
ij akris & ane halfe of medw & iij rude of land lyand at the end of the medw(d) c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 72.
I maid … wattiris to ryne in wodis and medewis 1461 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 362.
In … watterys reuirys medewys pasturis 1471 Prestwick B. Rec. 7.
To be pait out of the medeve 1478 Ib. 28. 1500 Ib. 36.
Thai come in the medew quhar his sytht lay & brak & spylt his sitht 1540–1 Reg. Privy S. II. 602/1.(e) 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 55 (B).
Doun in ane midow c 1567 Liber Calchou 532. (c 1580) Alex. ii. 6499.
The brumes and the vester mido c1590 J. Stewart 76/117. Ib. 84/162.
In the dails … and midows fair 1609 Garden Garden 85.
Middows fields and pastures 1611 Reg. Panmure I. xci.
The midowe of Panmor 1614 Orkney Rentals ii. 117.
Middew 1636 Orkney Bp. Ct. 99.
Ane peice hilled midow alongis the south syd of the watter way 1641 Acts V. (1817) 613/1. 1651 Milne-Home MSS. 220. 1659 Old Ross-shire I. 46. 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 992.
The half middow under Barron 1665 Galloway P. 20 Sept.
The home midow 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 158. 1684 Glamis Bk. of Record 35.
The middows [formerly] an open and common pasture(f) 1591 Lennox Mun. 334.
I … laubowrit the said meidow thre ȝeir with my awin pluiche 1607 Rec. Earld. Orkney 178.
I … hes pairtit the said meidew and gress 1671 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 26 Apr.
Ratifies all former acts anent meidows and grass 1675 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II. 37 (27 Jan.).
The four darkes of meiddowe(g) 1501 Acta Conc. III. 92.
The manys of Dunbar [etc.] … with the madowis lowis and linkis of the sammyn 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 993.
His maddow

b. Attrib. and comb. Pertaining to a meadow or more or less marshy grass-land; near, at, or of, a ‘meadow’; consisting of ‘meadow,-land.Also Medow-skift n. and Medow-ward n. 1632 Lanark B. Rec. 324.¹
The Medowburne 1629 Reg. Great S. 469/1.
Pitfyvie … cum lie medow-buttis — 1642 Rothesay B. Rec. 955.
His medow croaft and medow — 1523–42 Carnwath B. Ct. MS. 96.
For the … castin of his petis within thair medowerd … and spreid thame in thair vnmawin medow — 1599 Reg. Great S. 328/1.
Be eist the medow dyke of Pitmurthlie — 1668 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 226.
The meddow foott house — 1610 Reg. Great S. 81/2.
39 anseribus lie medow-geis — 1671 Forbes Baron Ct. 285.
The actis mad anent … the medow gras and hauch gras — 1664 Ib. 246.
In meadow ground, hyning [etc.] 1676 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 219.
On the midow ground — 1661 Reg. Great S. 54/2.
To the meadowhead, … the head of the meadow — 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 46 (7 Oct.).
The medow holms — 1530 Reg. Privy S. II. 78/1.
Integris terris de Kincrag outsetis et le medoland earundem 1531 Reg. Soltre 106.
Ane peis of medow land … quhilk suld be commoune betuix [etc.] 1550 Douglas of Morton 682.
All the medoland — 1455 Swintons App. xli.
All and hale his medow lands — 1680 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 24 Nov.
Resting of teynd and meadou rent — 1579 Prot. Bk. J. Robesone 49 b.
Feyld land liand besyde the medowschott of Restalrig — 1567 Reg. Privy S. V. ii. 394/1.
Lie ruidis earundem et partem lie medo et lie medow spottis