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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stalwart, , adj. Also: -uart, -ward(e, -wairt, -uairt, stallwart, -uart, stalawrt, stal(l)owart, stawlouart, (stalliard). [ME and e.m.E. stelewurðe (c1175), stalewarde (a1225), stalwarde, -word (both 1297), stalworth (Cursor M.), OE stǽlwierðe.]Chiefly in (early) verse, freq. in an alliterative sequence.

1. Of a (part of) a person, also, of a horse. a. Physically strong, powerful, exhibiting great stamina. b. Valiant, brave, resolute, stout.a., b. (1) 1375 Barb. i 19.
The dedys of stalwart folk that lywyt ar ?1438 Alex. ii 1621.
He was staluart [F. fort] and fare but failȝe … Hardy and doughty in battailȝe c1400 Troy-bk. i 301.
Thay … thame … byheld So stalwart in-to thar passyng a1500 Rauf C. 875.
Thow art stout and strang, and stalwart in fecht c1475 Wall. ix 767.
Schyr Jhon Sewart … gaderyt men, a stalwart cumpany 1513 Doug. xi viii 135.
The stalwart Camylla, Of the famyll and kynrent of Volsca 1513 Doug. xi xiii 17.
Abowt hir went hir walit stalwart feris 1528 Lynd. Dreme 568.
The martyris war as nobyll stalwart knychtis 1535 Stewart 4646.
Men … Stalwart [and] lang to stand in ony stour 1535 Stewart 34485.
Of bernis bald that stalwart wer as steill a1538 Abell 6a.
Amaȝonis … wer women stalwart and stark and … straik gret batellis 15.. King Berdok 13.
He wes ane stalwart man of hairt and hand He wowit the golk sevin ȝeir 1570 Sat. P. xxii 21.
To stalwart knichtis ane gylefull ganȝelon a1586 Kamington 40.
Quha in his tyme was staluart … This Setoun leued quhill good King William rang ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 34.
Duncan Oliphantus valde stalvartus(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxix 250.
For-thi mon thu, as stalawrt knycht, To resist hym mak the bown(c) c1450-2 Howlat 697 (A).
Quha was stewart bot the stork stallwart & styth(d) 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1693) 76.
Peter … was as stalliard a fellow as ever had cold iron at his arse(2) 1375 Barb. iii 581.
And newys that stalwart war & squar, That wont to spayn gret speris war a1450 Fifteen Ois 282.
With body rent and revin hert With stalwart voce thou cryit … Thir wourdis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 89.
With vesage lufly and lang Body stalwart and strang c1475 Wall. ix 1921.
Hys lymmys gret with stalwart pais and sound a1540 Freiris Berw. 483.
Sumthing effrayit, thocht stalwart was his hart(3) 1375 Barb. xvi 587.
Him selff was armyt iolyly And raid apon a stalwart [C. stalward] sted ?1438 Alex. i 252.
Ȝe haue hors richt weill at hand, Stalwart, stith and weill sterand ?1438 Alex. i 2706.
To lede Throw out the preis the staluart steid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 553.
On stedis stalwart and strang 1513 Doug. x xiv 157.
The stalwart steid … Foundris fordwart flatlyngis on hys spald

2. Powerful, determined, resolute. a. specif. Of the hand in fig. use, as of an action carried out with the hand. b. Of other less specific actions, a blow, siege, etc.a. 1375 Barb. iv 80.
And bad thame wend in-to Scotland, And set a sege with stalwart hand to the castell of Kyndrwmy 1375 Barb. xvi 360.
Men that thame soucht with stalwart [C. stalvard] hand 1375 Barb. xvii 262.
How that with stalwart hand Berwik wes tane ?1438 Alex. i 465.
Say to our nobill king of micht, Bot he vs helpe with staluart hand He sall not sie vs on lyfe leuand ?1438 Alex. i 1674.
Thair micht na armour thame withstand, Quhair thay come of ane stalwart hand c1400 Troy-bk. i 23.
To spye … The pryvateis of hys kynryk … So that thay mytht with staluart hand Repare agayne and stroye the land c1420 Wynt. vi 1069.
The Denmarkis wyth stalwart hand Dystroyid the sowth than off Ingland(b) ?a1450 Florimond 86.
Stalwairtb. 1375 Barb. xii 385.
Thai may als hecht till fulfill With stalwart strakis thair byddingis all a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 710.
Stalwart strakis and strang … derfly thay dang c1475 Wall. viii 154.
Befor Dunbar a stalwart sege he sett 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2126.
Quha wald … him vincus be strenth of stalwart straik(b) a1400 Leg. S. l 695.
Bad hir be of stawlouart will

3. Of (a) battle: Fierce, ferocious, hard fought; determined. b. Of a storm: Violent, fierce.(a) 1375 Barb. i 468.
Thai … Fawcht in-to mony stalwart stour, For to delyuir thar countre 1375 Barb. ix 699.
[They] thoucht … with travale and stallwart ficht, To chas Douglas of that cuntre ?1438 Alex. i 374.
Quhan I … Sall of this stalwart stour be gane Behind me thair sall nocht leif ane ?1438 Alex. i 1402.
Of worship was thair nane him lyke, … For to mentene ane staluart stour c1420 Wynt. viii 5848.
He fand thare stalwart [C. hard] barganyng ?a1450 Florimond 58.
Alex[and]yr … That throu battell and stalvairt stour In vii ȝere wan the warld 1460 Hay Alex. 3443.
We may nocht stand agane sa stalwart stoure 1535 Stewart 18806.
And mony leid that tyme loissit the lyfe, Into that stound sa stalwart wes the stryfe 1535 Stewart 21671.
That stour it wax baith stalwart, stif, and strang(b) 1375 Barb. ix 518.
With hard battale in stalwarde ficht 1375 Barb. xiv 202.
The stalward stour lestit weill lang a1595 Davidson in Three Reformers 104.
John Knox that valyant conquerour, That stood in many stalward stour(c) 1375 Barb. xi 401.
That quhat sa euir man that fand His hert nocht sekir … For to manteyme that stalward stour, That he be tyme suld tak his wayb. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 79.
Quhilk in to May wes dulce and delectabyll. With stalwart stormes hir sweitnes wes suprisit

4. a. Of a weapon: Strong, powerful, stout, capable of inflicting a severe blow. 1375 Barb. xiii 14.
Wapnys stalwart of steill ?1438 Alex. ii 4434.
Betys … with the staluart speir him hit 1460 Hay Alex. 3157.
On his scheild ane stalwart speir he braik c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 384.
I thoght my self a papingay and him a plukit herle All thus … he … maid a stalwart staff to strik him selfe doune 1513 Doug. ii viii 70.
Ane stalwart ax hynt he, … to hew and brek the ȝet 1513 Doug. xi xiii 41.
Quhais braid breist bone With a lang stalwart speir of the fyre tre … persyt … hes sche 1513 Doug. xiii iv 8.
Scheildis, gittarnys and mony stalwart speir 1535 Stewart 31841.
Thair burdonis big, that stalwart war and strang

b. Of a building, object, etc., freq. a means of defence: Strong, strongly built or made, capable of withstanding great force.(a) 1375 Barb. iii 732.
Thai fled … with thar catell, Towart a rycht stalwart castell 1375 Barb. xvii 598.
Off gret gestis a sow thai maid, That stalwart heildyne … abon it had c1420 Wynt. viii 5024.
The Wardane … browcht a gyne, … For till assayle that stalwart towre c1420 Wynt. viii 6736.
A stalwart barres maide thaire was Off mekyll bastyn rapis thringin Throw stowpis that rycht deipe ware dungin Wythin the erd rycht stalwartly 14.. Acts I 32/2.
That ilke seriand sal fynde festnyng gud and stalluart [L. fortia] c1475 Wall. ix 443.
Fortras thai brak, and stalwart byggyngis wan 1513 Doug. vi x 10.
Tha portis with thar stalwart bow or brace 1513 Doug. x vi 59.
He … Persyt the stalwart platit scheild of steill 1535 Stewart 443.
Dowbill dykes that stalwart wer of stone 1535 Stewart 8755.
King Corbreid and all his folk in feir, Includit thame within ane stalwart strenth 1535 Stewart 20537.
Greit stalwart stonis [they] laid vpone the wall 1535 Stewart 36998.
Betuix ane fousie and ane stalwart dyke The passage wes 1535 Stewart 37916.
Husband men to Stirling … Suld pas and keip that stalwart brig of stone(b) a1400 Leg. S. ii 1140.
He a stalowart gyrne can ma To hang hym-self with

c. Of supernatural conjuration or knowledge: Strong, powerful. 1375 Barb. iv 750.
Throw stalwart coniuracionys And throw exorcizacionys To ger spyritis … apper a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1128.
Sek na heyere thing than yhe Na stallowart be na degre

5. absol. as noun. A strong, valiant man. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 642.
Thair wes na staluart vnstonait, so sterne wes the stound a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 767.
Thair with the stalwartis in stour can stotin and stynt 1535 Stewart 27872.
Full … mony stalwart stickit quhair he stude