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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.

Storm(e, n. Also: sterme, (storne). [ME and e.m.E. storm (c1175), OE storm, ON stormr.]

1. A storm; an instance or spell of stormy weather. Also in fig. context.Quots. 1555 Glenartney Doc. and 1594 Acts IV 67/1, may refer to snowfall or a spell of hard weather with snow and frost. Cf. 2 b below.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 285.
Thai war drownyt in the flud, And castine thru the stormis to land c1420 Wynt. iv 949.
As fraward stormys stude Mony drownyd in the flude ?14.. Ship Laws c. 8 (H2).
Giff a schip … castis furth gudis throu stormis thai aw to tell the schipmene the cace how it standis 1456 Hay II 50/19.
Rycht as the jakkis ar abone the hauberkis and ordanyt nerest bathe wynd and rayn and othir stormys sa suld a knycht for the peple susteyne all stormes and travailis for thame a1500 Rauf C. 32.
Ithand wedderis of the eist draif on sa fast … His steid aganis the storme staluartlie straid a1500 Henr. Orph. 190 (Bann.).
Saturne … Quhilk fadir is to all the stormis [Ch. & M., Asl. sternis] cald a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 378.
Small fynance amang thy frendis thou beggit, To stanch the storm 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 317.
To seik the floit boit of the Pansy at past away with ane storme quhen the Pansy hevit her mast 1513 Doug. v i 38. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 80.
Dame Flora … Quhilk in to May wes dulce and delectabyll. With stalwart stormes hir sweitnes wes suprisit 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 90.
Bot lyke ane storme efter ane plesand morrow, Sone was our solace changit in to sorrow 1549 Compl. 39/15.
The gray goul mau pronosticat ane storme 1549 Compl. 62/9.
The feyrd collateral vynd is callit Circius, quhilk … generis snau, tempest & vehement stormis 1555 Glenartney Doc.
Thai will nocht abyde in oure said forest for loik of meit be ressoun of the said greit storme 1594 Acts IV 67/1.
Quhatsumeuir persone … that slayis ony of his hienes deir strayand in tyme of stormes to barne ȝardis 1621 Urie Baron Ct. 38.
That ewerie tennent … salbe requyrit … bring watter to the milne in stormes 1629 Justiciary Cases I 131.
As that nycht that the grit storme arraise commonlie callit the borrowing dayis 1661 S. Ronaldshay 36.
Ane poore Zetland man whom God had wonderfully preservad into a storme at sea(2) 1554 Knox III 287.
Yow were nyghe the lande, and the storme was not yet risen; that is, ye were yonge scholers of Christ, when no persecution was seen or felt 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57.
For geif ye had beine in your ryt wyt ye being anis escapit the tempestuous stermes and naufrage of mariage had never enterit agane in the samyng dangeris

b. Stormy weather or conditions; turbulence. In various phrases and collocations.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 213.
Quhen [the] gud fok had Apone the se mad lang a-bad Of hungyre & storme in-to dystres 1513 Doug. i viii 83.
We ar … drevyn to land By fors of storm 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 76.
And all with storm trublyt the seys flude Bettand on the rolkis and rowtand as it war wod 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3408.
Ane nicht sa troublit in the air With storme, fyreflauchts, hale, raine & mekill mair Of ill wedder 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 236.
Gelie Duncan [etc.] … quha convenit thair for rasing of storme 1627 Rep. Parishes 68.
If the people be far fra the kirk we can hardly get a meitting and sometymes in winter and in tyme of storme no meitting at all 1641 Baillie I 356.
We had some storme for sixteene houres(2) 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV 466.
To ane to ga on burd ij sindry tymes in storm on the Margret with wittalis and stuf, xvj s. 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV 469.
To ane boit to pas on burd in storm, viij s. 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 37.
We sailit in storme but steir gyde or glas(3) 1501 Aberd. B. Rec. I 428.
Of ane brokin schip of Skedame, quhilk, throw storme of sey, happin to brek 1513 Doug. iii ii 18 (Ruddim.).
And comptis nouthir the wynd nor storme of sey(4) 1533 Boece 94.
How his navyn be storme of weddir was sa fruschit that grete parte thareof, wald … mak na stede 1533 Boece 377b.
Gif be storme or intemperance of weddir ony Scott war choactit to arrive in thai boundis 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 169.
He was returnit be storme of wedder … and ran in the havin of Carrell 1594 Reg. Privy C. V 195.
[The ship] wes be grite storme of weddir drevin upoun the coist of Zetland 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 101.
The said Hermone Dutche merchand landit at Sandwik be storme of wodder 1610 Crim. Trials III 111. 1625 Justiciary Cases I 26.
Ane Flemis schip quhilk be storme and stres of wedder was drevin in the said watteris 1631–49 Conv. Burghs IV 552.
If any merchand shall be necessitat, throw storme of weather [etc.]

2. a. A quantity of rain or snow resulting from a storm. b. (A spell of) snow and ice.a. c1420 Wynt. i 965.
Thare ryvarys … mowys noucht wytht mycht na mayne, Off nakyn stormys at may fall 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 23.
Thair fell ane greit storme at Sanctandroisday of snaw 1681 Fountainhall Chron. Notes Sc. Aff. (1822) 8.
A great storm of snow had fallenb. 1533 Boece 452.
The tratouris … fleand … fell in the depe and war ilkane drownit. Eftirwart quhen the storme loussit at spring of the ȝere [L. aquis hyemali gelu concretis tepore verno solutis] be clekis thai war drawin to land

3. fig. a. A violent or furious outburst (of emotion or wrath). b. transf. A person characterised by such outbursts. c. Trouble, difficult circumstances. Freq. pl. d. A violent military assault (on (of) a place).a. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 222 (Asl.).
Our crevist cabillis all at a cast will crak Quhen lykis he his stormes for to steire 1562-3 Winȝet II 53/30.
Be sindry tempestuous stormis of thochtis and cuiris ar thai schaiking 1567 G. Ball. 106.
Lat thy tempest thair wraithfulnes reuenge, And lat thy storme thair pryde in purteth changeb. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2135.
Quhat kynd of woman is thy wyfe? Ane quick devill Sir, ane storme of stryfec. 1456 Hay II 50/20 (see 1 (1) above). a1568 Bell. in Bann. MS 6b/191.
Na fortoun may aganis me nocht availl Thocht scho with cluddy stormis me assaill a1568 Bann. MS I p. 40/67.
Quha dois in ȝowth in bring In age he sall grit stormes do ourset a1570-86 Maitl. F. 424/183.
He … in sic stormes as may gar strangaris steipe Sustenis ȝoure selff and giffis ȝowe mony dayis a1570-86 Maitl. F. 434/16.
Schaw thy self … Indewit with wertew wit and worthines … Or in this storme [pr. storne] thy stait will newir stand 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet (1782) 22.
That will not be good companie in a storm that ye are likelie to meet with err & it be long in thir lands 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet (1739) 23.
The ministers and professors in Scotland that are yet to go throw the storm … shall get a stormie sea 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet (1739) 26.
Whenever the storm began to blow upon our Lord's face, all quat his back for the most partd. 1660 Dundee B. Laws 445.
The storme and intakine of our forsaid bruch by the Inglisis