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

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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.

Standand(e, -ing, ppl. adj. Also: -eng, -a(i)n, -ant, stannand. [ME and e.m.E. stondinde (Ayenb.), -ynge (Wyclif), standing (1424); Stand v.]

1. Of a thing: Set in or maintaining an upright position; that is vertical or high rather than horizontal or wide. The 1683 quot. may belong in c. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2434.
Standand woltis & cavis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 486.
A stif standand thing staiffis in mi neiff 1513 Doug. ii vi 62.
Within the wallis, ȝone mekil standand hors Ȝettis furth armyt men 1513 Doug. ii viii 108.
Standand stakkis of hay 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 65.
Geistis sawin and wrocht in standand garronis to the roundis 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 93.
The south round lycht … extendis to xv futis [of glass] … the south lyand lycht … xiii futis … the south standand lycht … xxii futis 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 94.
The standand north lycht in the uter chalmer contenis xxxii futis 1547 Stirling B. Rec. I 48.
That thair be maid ane standand gest furth fra the heid of the tolboitht … and scho be put in the creile and hyng thair 1616 Edinb. Test. XLIX 108b.
The haill standand timber wark and vine werk fesnit in the wallis 1673 Leith Customs 7.
4 lying presses … 1 standing press 1683 Inv. in Donibristle Mun. (Earl of Moray's MSS) 6 (9-10 May).
Item ane standing drawer

b. Standing on a base or foot (chiefly as opposed to hanging); free standing. 1555 Crail Ch. Reg. 66.
Two grit stannand brasyne chandelaris and foure hangand chandelaris 1555 Lynd. IV 276.
Twa standand rackis of yrne 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Standand ledderis 1583–4 Crail B. Ct. 10 March.
Ane pair of standing rakis ane speit ane chymlay cruik 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 142b.
Ane standing chandler for the buirde 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Ane standing bowie 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 365.
A draping pan with a standing brander to set it on

c. Of a carving knife: ? Especially large or ? in some other sense of 1 above. 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 17.
Item, for ane pair of gret standand kerving knyffis

d. Of a cope: ? Having a standing collar. 1633 Dickinson Source-bk. III 87.
The ordour appoyinted by his majestie for the apparrell of churchemen in Scotland … That all the lords archbischops and bischops … sall in all publick places weare gownes with standing capes … and cassocks

2. A place on which to stand, a station. 1513 Doug. v iii 49.
A standing place [L. statio], quhar skarthis … thame pronȝe

3. Of an action: Performed while standing, hence in a hasty, impermanent or uncommitted fashion. Also in fig. context. 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 59.
He tuik ane standing drink with thame … bot denyit that he sat dovn … with thame 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 336.
Sometimes He sendeth me out a standing drink, and whispereth a word through the wall 1652 Lamont Diary 48.
Mr. Browne … came to Mr. Woods lodging, and took a standing drinke with him 1653 Binning Wks. 649.
Engage not much your heart to any thing of this world. Take but a standing drink and be gone

b. Of death: ? Imminent. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9592.
My father quhen I last did depart … was sa vext with seiknes at his hart, That we beleuit nathing bot standand deid, … Now I wald haue licence to pas agane, To vnderstand … gif he be of seiknes conuolest [etc.] 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI (1975) 53.
Hir anssr wes for standing deid thair wes no remeid and the bairne died accordinglie

4. Of trees: Growing. 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 279.
The woddis … ar swa decayit … be the peling of the bark of the standand treis 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 977.
Item the ruid at the standing trie 1689 Rothesay B. Rec. 1014.
Item the standan tree

5. Of buildings, etc.: Built; in good repair, not ruinous. 1642 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 38.
The said Androw hes grantit him to haw resauet sufficient standing houssis on the said toune 1643 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 40.
Understanding that the sea daylie does incroatche upon the touns houf in Leyth at the eist end theirof … ordaines the thesaurer to caus build the same from the present standing wark northward for the spaice of twentie fowr fute or therby [etc.] 1663 Dumbarton B. Rec. 82.
That stanes may conveniently be had out of the colledge, in so far as shall not damnifie the standing pen

6. That is fixed or remains stationary, specif. of the machinery, fitments, etc. of a mill, used in contradistinction to Gangand ppl. adj. 2. 1524–5 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 221.
The fermoraris of the mylnis … maid fayth that thai had maid expenssis vpoun the standand graith of the commoun mylnis in stra, scowis, rauchteris, lyme, sande and werkmanschip 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 309.
The beitting and mending of the fyve Commoun Mylnis, making of thair haill watter wallis, scheitts and trouchtis with thair uther standand grayth 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V 143.
The takers sall be subject to leif the sam in standing geir and gangand geir in als guid estaitt as thai fand the sam 1679 Edinb. B. Rec. X 383.
The milnes in all ther ganging gear standing gear and stoolling wer in good condition

b. Standand burd, ? a table permanently in position, not capable of being dismantled. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 182.
lviii pece plankis for standand burdis in the hallis 1588 Edinb. Test. XVIII 257b.
The greit standing buird that standis in his hall

c. Standing housour, hous, ? a protective covering for a horse standing in a stable or otherwise not in use. 1536 Treas. Acc. VI 296.
To be standing housouris to the grete hors, x elnys kelter gray 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 254.
Frenche gray … to be standing howsis to the kingis grete hors in Striveling, Sanctandrois, Falkland and Halyrudhous and to be standing howses to his grete geldingis, mulettis and sowme hors, lxxvij elnis braid gray 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 326.
To be standing hous to vj halknayis that passit in France, ix elnis braid gray 1542–3 Treas. Acc. VIII 177.
For viij standing housis to viij Duche meris in winter bipast

d. Standing nets, fishing nets fixed in a location, stationary nets. 1650 Argyll Sas. I 112.
With the salmon-fishing called standing nets and ground fish of the River Awe

7. Of water: Not flowing, still, ? not tidal; stagnant. b. Of a well: Unchanging in level, unfailing, passing into sense 8 below. c1420 Wynt. iv 1938.
Ryweris … for rayne wyll rys … mare … Than wyll a kyndly standand flude 14.. Acts I 310/2.
The gallon aw to conteyn xij pundis of watir that is for to say iiij pundis of salt watir … iiij pundis of standande watir and iiij pundis of rynnand watir 1513 Doug. viii ii 48.
[Tiber] On syk wys mesand his watir, that he Ane standand stank semyt for tobe 1539 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXIII 97.
[Isobel Boyis was ordered to remove the] stopis [of her stair … ] swa that the standand watter … may haif passage throw the condite of the watter gang 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iii 365.
Lacunae, dubbis (standing water) 1596 Dalr. I 7/28.
[Scotland] hes mony … standeng lochis of fresche water 1626 Garden Worthies 124.
A standing laike caled the Old Watter gang 16… Symson Descr. Galloway 112.
Ther comes out of the standing vatters … incredible number of eeilesb. c1460 Regim. Princ. 288 (Maitl.).
Justice sa is ane standand well Perpetuallie withouttin waryance 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 292.
Pitching our tents beside a source or standing well

8. Of (non-material) things: Continuing, abiding; (still) in being; current. Also in comb. with ald.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i 22.
Peter of ‘petra’ may be tane … For men may a stane neuir bow … And this Petir, a-beove the lafe, A stannand luf to Criste can hafe 1587 Acts III 441/2.
Tenendriis … becuming in our handes … be foirfaltour standand 1598 Conv. Burghs II 31.
The … commissioneris of burrowis ratefeis … the actis … anent the iadgers and mesouris standant and byrning of salmond and hering barrelis 1638 Baillie I 30.
They will have us, against standing lawes, to devoire Arminianisme and Popery ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 9.
It cannot be so now, without the breach of standing lawes 1674 Douglas Corr. 274.
To violat the standing laus … to favour such unjust endevours 1685 Soc. Ant. LIX 49.
Therfor piews might be built; … a standing advantage to the poor(2) 1590 Douglas Corr. 242.
I can nocht bot remembir the ald standain kindnes betuix owr housis

b. Of persons: Continuing, still as described. 1622-6 Bisset I 237/17.
Sic persones as ar now standing rebellis

c. Of military forces: Continuing in being or in a place; permanent, regular. 1684 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVI 146.
But to delate them [sc. rebels] … to the next magistrat or officer of the standing forces 1689 Acts XII 63/2.
By leivieing & keeping on foot a standing army in tyme of peace

d. Of rent, etc.: Fixed over a specified period, continuing on that basis; set; regular. 1457 Ayr B. Ct. 27 May.
Thom Dauison has tane the fisching of Ar … for the termes of viii ȝeris … for viii markis of standand male ȝerly 1472 Reg. Cupar A. I 162.
The sade Wilȝam sal pay ȝerly for the teynd schafe of standand teyndis … 20 bollis of vitale 1488 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 427. 1499 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 77, 78.
Persouns … to be berares and clengearis within this toune … ilk ane of thame in standand waidges vj d. ilk day and quhen thai mak ony erding of cors or clengeing of hous thai sall haif rewaird thairfor at the discretioun of the … counsale and quhen thai ar vacand for eirding [etc.] … thai to lawbour vpoun … the kirk yairds [etc.] … considering thai haif a standand wage 1574 ‘Regester’ at Taymouth in Orig. Par. II i 127.
[The lease to commence at Whitsunday 1575, for payment yearly of 20 shillings] standand male 1601–2 Montrose Treas. Acc. 2b.
Standand rentall and accidentis charge and discharge therof 1653 Cramond Kirk S. I 22 Nov.
Since his standing fie was als good in the place wher he was as the hundereth pund … he could not exchang 1655 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 17.
For the quhilk service he [sc. the beadle] is to have of standing fie from the thesaurer 20 lbs. 1657 Cramond Kirk S. I 6 Sept.
That for his being precentor, [etc.] … he should first have in standing fie the soume of two hundre merks 1673 Cramond Kirk S. II 15 June.
His standing rent … should be payed at two tearmes in the year