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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wand, n. Also: wande, vand, uand, wan, waind, vaind, wond(e. [ME and e.m.E. wand (Orm), wond (1250), wande (14th c.), wonde (Lydgate), won (1472), ON vǫndr.]See also Ale-wande n., Elwand n., Lime-wand n. and willing-, willie wand (Will(i)e n. b (2)).

1. A slender shoot or branch, a sapling. 1535 Stewart 16757.
Quhen … ane tre is hewin fra the rute, On it no moir thair will grow leif or frutt … Ȝit fra the rute small wandis will vpspring 1559 (1565) Reg. Great S. 390/1.
Frutices in silvis … vulgariter rungis and wandis of hissill and sauch 1596 Dalr. I 36/19.
How hes sa gret … wodes evir thair growin, quhair now … will nocht sa mekle as ane small wande grow

b. Under the wand, in the country. a1500 Henr. Fab. 179.
Scho tuke in mynd hir sister vpon land, And langit … To se quhat lyfe scho led vnder the wand 1535 Stewart 30257.
Wnder the wand allone quhair that he woik

2. A thin, pliable stick cut from a young tree. Also, to wagg a wand in water, to do something futile. See Wag v. 1 b. c1420 Wynt. i 344 (E).
Ane aik wes na mare in his hand Than now in ouris a hesill wand 14.. Acts I 334/2.
The thicknes of a somertane vand of hessil a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlvii 52.
Ȝour pistolis twmit, and bak sprent lyk a wand 1603 Reg. Great S. 487/2.
Reddend. unam virgam agrifolii (ane grene holene wand) nomine albe firme 1629 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 2 June.
His man cuttit sum birkin vaindis 1661 Elgin Rec. II 296.
He went in to the wood and cuttit tua wands

b. As a type of something slender. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 63.
Ane hundreth ladyes … With pappis quhite and mydlis small as wandis

3. A slender shoot or sapling cut for use as a commodity, esp. in wicker work, construction work, etc.Some examples may belong in b below. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 31.
A gardyn faire, and in the corneris set Ane herbere grene with wandis long and small Railit about 1513 Doug. xi ii 16.
Small wikkyris fortobeld a beir Of sowpill wandis and of bronys seir 1531 Bell. Boece I lix.
How may thair be ane greter ingine than to make ane bait of ane bull hid bound with na thing bot wandis? 1540–1 Treas. Acc. VII 491.
For xiiij^c wandis deliverit to him to mak charcole of, price of the hundreth vj d. 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 116.
For expensis maid … in putting of the said bote to the see, hir ballest, lyme, pakthreid, rak, talloun, towis, wandis, ringis, huikis, and ane stik to the anker … xlvij s. vj d. 1562–3 Treas. Acc. XI 248.
j^c wandis to be rangearis and skrowis to the saidis culveringis, xxv s. c1575 Balfour Pract. 400.
Na man may poind or distreinȝie ane bucket or wand of ane salt-pan 1576 Edinb. Test. IV 278b.
Tymmer sik as … pleuch beames ȝokis wandis 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 241.
Sax litle culing fannis of litle wandis 1586 Ayr Common Good Acc.
Mair for leid to bot the wand of the cumsyilling in the wall vj s. viij d. 1595–6 Sc. Hist. Rev. X 302.
Ane glas plettones, coverit wit wands 1669 Forbes Baron Ct. 277.
No froster … sall sell … any manner of timber … either wandis or any timber

b. A metal rod used as a support, or in some other function. 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 30.
Thre stane iiii pownd Danskyne yrin to be wandis to beir the polpot 1618 Glasgow Hammermen 48.
The flaick box and wand is fund vnsufficient and not wordie to serve the kingis leiges. Thairfoir … the said Robert Conynghame to ressaue back the flaick and wands with the box … and to mak hir ane new flaick box and wands

c. attrib.Made of, encased in wicker work; made with a thin, pliable branch or branches.(1) 1538–9 Treas. Acc. VII 135.
Ane wand flakon … to turs the polder in 1641 Edinb. Test. LIX 269a.
Certane lame veshellis viz. … littell mugis … wand bottellis — 1562 Inv. Q. Mary 55.
Ellevin plaittis … i of wandfasson … twa gilt sacers — 1575–6 Dumfries B. Ct. 20 Jan.
Ane wan creill 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 540.
Thre wand gairdins, 4 s. 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
Of wand corfis for the tents sax 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 280a.
Thrie wand mandis 1664 Inventory 12 in Decr. Dalr. XI.
A wand bed & wand chair 1672 Leith Customs 1a.
3 wand cradles 9 s. 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 164.
Thrie wand ambries, and ane timber on 1696 Edinb. Test. LXXX 170.
Ane old uand creddell 1704 Sc. Ant. I 129.
Two firr kists with a wand chistes with a scucheon and ane old oak kist(2) 1597 Reg. Privy C. V 424.
[He was carrying] certane wand flaillis hame to his awne house 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 240b.
Sextene pair of wand spurres

d. As a type of weakness or pliability. a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 13 (Maitl.).
Ane cative … Wallowit and wane and waik as ony wand c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 105/22.
Sum thocht tham selffis stark lyk gyandis Ar nou maid waek lyk willing wandis 1535 Stewart 11939.
Thair waponis … So blunt thai war on basnet wald nocht byte Leicht as ane leif, and waldin as ane wand a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1539.
Thraw the wand quhill it is grein

4. A rod or staff carried in the hand for use as a support in walking, in herding cattle, etc. Also fig. a1400 Leg. S. iv 157.
Sancte James thane gaf hym the wand [L. baculum] That he wes wonte bere in his hand c1420 Wynt. v 5190.
Oure the wattyr he kest hys wand That suddanly grewe in a tre, And bare off appyllys gret plente a1500 Henr. Annunc. 43.
The wand of Aaron, dry but wete To burioun nocht blynnis 1490 Irland Mir. III 37/29.
The wand of Moyses was turnit in a serpent a1500 Bk. Chess 1357.
This teileman has … A wand or quhipe in to his handis borne To call his cattell to thair pastur richt c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark vi 8.
And comandit thame that thai suld nocht tak ony thing in the way, bot a wand aanly a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 127/16.
Moyses, quho … chaunged ane vand in ane serpent 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 198.
The said George Ros … standing, his bak at the dore, and ane vand in his hand 1630 Justiciary Cases I 144.
The devill appeirit … in the schaipe … of ane blak man all cled in blak without ane cloik with ane wand in his handfig. c1450-2 Howlat 752 (A).
Thow seker trone of Salamon, Thow worthy wand of Aaron

5. A stick or switch used a. As an instrument of punishment. b. As a weapon more generally. c. proverb.d. fig.a. a1400 Leg. S. ii 9.
With wandis sar He wes firste doungyne; & syn … put in stokis a1400 Leg. S. xlvi 198.
Men ȝet sare hyme dang, Sume vith scurgis, & sum vith wand c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Cor. xi 25.
Thrijse I was strikin with wandis, aanis I was staanyt 1533 Bell. Livy I 137/5.
Quhen the said burreouris had scurgeit thame with wandis thai straik of thare hedis with ane ax 1535 Stewart 37906.
To greit als fast and wringand bayth thair handis As ony barnis that war dung with wandis 1538 Soc. Ant. II 392.
The lockman to stryik hym with ane vand … and to haif ane fresche vand at ylk streit end c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4154.
The scule maister doith mak ane wand, To dant and dyng scollaris of rude ingyne 1566–7 Edinb. B. Rec. III 228.
Sic barnis … salbe imprisonit … efter that thay be quhippit with wandis 1634 Wedderburn Gramm. 39.
Fasces, a bunsh of wands carried before the magistrateb. 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 135.
For giffing ane straik to Thomas Huntar with ane waind 1613 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 4 Nov.
He did him wrang baith be reprochefull wordis and be dinging him with ane wand on the facec. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 456.
Of ignorant persons … He gars his awn wand ding him a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 809.
He that spairis the wand heats the bairned. ?1438 Alex. ii 6487.
Heirof am I begyled hale! I gadder the wande quhairof I fale [F. la verge dont je serai batus]! c1450-2 Howlat 483 (A).
My singuler souerane of Saxonis the wand c1475 Wall. v 996.
Carlauerok als ȝeit Maxwell has in hand; And we had this, thai mycht be bath a wand Agayne Sotheroun 1535 Stewart 40251.
So scharpe ane wand is terrour a1538 Abell 11a.
Nabogodonosor … wes the wand of God punisand the inobedient pepill c1552 Lynd. Mon. 417.
Gret God, in to His handis, To dant the warld, hes diuers wandis 1577 Edinb. Test. V 332b.
Margaret Todrik being extremlie handillit with the wand of God 1602 Walwod P. (Montrose Town Council) 10 June.
Bot y was downeg with the tua wandis and y haid no monnay bot that y gat of wages with thir honnest mene 1633 Johnston Diary I 56.
I … prayed the Lord so to rule my heart in my prosperite as he misterd not to tak the wand in his hand 1643 Baillie II 91.
His letter was a wand above his head to discipline him if he should mute

6. A rod or staff carried as the insignia of an office, or as a sign of the authority of the bearer. 1432 Acts II 22/1.
Ilk officiar of the kingis as mare [etc.] … sal nocht pas in the cuntre … but a horne & his wande … the kingis officiaris … sal haif … a red wande of thre quarteris of a ȝerde lang … the officiaris of the regalite a wande of the sammyn lenth the tane ende rede & the tother quhit … the baron seriande … a quhite wande [etc.] c1461 Inv. St. Salvator in Guide to St. Andrews (1953) 104.
Ane beddell wand silver and ourgilt with ane chenye and … seill … twa othir beddele wandis of silver perteining to the Universite a1500 Lanc. 1600.
Lat pas the ilk blessit wonde Of lowe with mercy iustly throw thi londe 1499 Edinb. B. Rec. I 77.
Persouns … to be berares and clengearis within this toune … thir persounes to haif a signe and taikin, viz. a littil quhyte wand iij quarteris lang with a hupe of quhyte irne at the end and that wand to be born in thair hands opinly at thai may be kend a1500 Bk. Chess 54.
Ane officere of wand 1535 Stewart 41053.
[The king] Arreistit thame syne with ane maissar wand c1559 Innes Rev. XVI 129.
Apud Johne Vat byschop James Kendeis best wand with the seyll and the cheynȝe 1578 Treas. Acc. XIII 211.
To the said Archibald Dowglas, maser, for gilting of his mais wand to serve the parliament

b. Wand of peace, used to symbolise the restoration of a wrongdoer to the king's peace. Also pl. 1503 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 90.
Relesche the saide James of the proces of our horne ressaue him to our pace and gif him the wande tharof 1511 Crim. Trials I i 75.
The Scheref-deput … relaxt Nevin M^ckello [etc.] … fra the proces of the horne, and gaif thaim the wand of pece 1547 Reg. Privy C. I 70.
To ressave thaim to our soverane ladyis pece, and gif thaim the wand thairof 1549–50 Prot. Bk. James Foulis 8.
Thai may be relaxit fra horning simpliciter and restorit to the wand of peas 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 26.
[He] gat his peax and the erle of Angus peace, quhilk was proclamit at the mercat croce of Edinburgh, the wand of peace was ressauit for the samyne quho come to Scotland to the said day 1597 Misc. Spald. C. II lxi n.
The twa Erles satt at the Croce … The wand of peace delyuerit to thame be Patrick Murray, he receaves thame in his maiesties name 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 547.
To … ressave him to his majesteis peax and gif to him or ony in his name the wand thairofpl. 1567 Acts III 5/2.
Relaxand the forsaidis haill personis respectiue … fra the said proces of horne ande gevand the wandis of peax to Edwart Hislop in thar names

c. Used symbolically in carrying out other functions of the law, specif. in the transfer of property, bestowing or resigning of an office, seizure of goods, and arrest of persons. Also wand of peace. c1420 Wynt. viii 1963.
This Jhon tuk a qwhyt wand, And gave wp in till Edwardis hand Off this kynryk all the rycht, That he than had, or hawe mycht 1429–30 Acts II 17/2.
A mayr of fee … sal haf power to present a sufficiande persone … to the scheref in courte to be deputis vndir hym the quhilkis salbe sworne in the playn courte to the saide office and admittit be the scheref & gevin the wande 1434 Facs. Deed in Gunn Peebles Colleg. Ch. xvi.
And wyth a wand … he gave to the said Wilȝame … state ryalle of the said landis wyth the pertinence 1449–50 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 76 (26 Jan.).
Janet … had mad full resignatoun of al landis and croftis … in the handis of Patrik Badenach ane of the bailȝeis … the quhilk bailȝe deliuertt be the giffyn of a wande to the said Wilȝame 1460 Hay Alex. 18526.
[They] laid thair wandis of office doun him by And gaife ouer all thair office haillely 1474 Acts II 107/1.
Anent the pruving of arestmentis be crovnaris or seriandis … that has bene wsit of befor to be prevyt be tuiching of wandis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1269.
Fra the crownar haif laid on him his wand … Slane sall he be, or with the iuge compone c1500 Harl. MS 4700 282b.
The aware of the grond sall … charge his seriand in plane court to … tak the gudis that occupjis that grond … And lay his wand apoun it baith catale corne & inspreth 1513 Alloway Baron Ct. 15 Nov.
[He] wes maid sergeand of the barony maid faith to the office & resauit the wand 1570 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 132a.
Schir William Anderson cheplane to Sant Pettyr hes dimittit his cheplandre of Sant-Pettyris in the tounis handis … be deliuering of ane vand 1571 Elgin Rec. I 127.
Thomas Vmfra, burges of Elgin … renuncit … his twa auchtenparts of land … be ane officiaris wand in fauoris of Hew Vmfra his sone 1609 Inverurie 194. 1672 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 75.
He and other persons lybelled, beat and wounded the messenger after he had laid hold upon the said Hary and touched him with his wand of peace several times 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxvi 3 (1699) 130 (see d below). 1681 Stair Inst. iv xlix § 5.
If he hinder him to touch him, with any weapon or staff, his offering to touch him, and showing his wand of peace is sufficient to infer deforcement

d. In collocation with Brek v. symbolising the use of force against an officer of the law. Also wand of peace. 1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 44.
Robert Lam seriand … present thar his wand brokyn vpon Rob Schaip the quhilk he chargit him with hand and wand thrys one the kyngis behalf … and he dissobeyit 1531–2 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 118.
In taiking of ane enforsment the said … seriand brak his vand upone the said Jhone 1550 Cupar B. Rec. 13 May.
Andro Rawat … gaiff in ane brokyn wand in tokyn of deforciament committit be John Murray 1564 Perth B. Ct. 75 (5 May). 1619 Crim. Trials III 469.
The said Johnne Edward … defoircet the officer in his presens; quhairupone the officer brak his wand 1665 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I 124.
The said John and his accomplices armed did sett upon the messenger … and took from him the said Clara his prisoner, and so deforced him in the execution of his office, whereupon the messanger broke his wand of peace and protested for remeid of law 1674 Highland P. I 263.
We Duncan Clark and Archibald Turnor, messengers and sherreffs in that pairt … upon committing of the whilk … deforcement, we required witnesses, took instruments, protested for remeid of law; and broke our wands of peace 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxvi 3 (1699) 130.
The wand of peace is that whereby they touch a rebel, and declares him to be their prisoner, and when they are deforced, they use to break the wand of peace

7. A royal sceptre. Also, wand of rigour and of justice. a1500 Lanc. 1889.
He … haith ifyne hyme the wond To iustefy and reull in pece his lond a1500 Bk. Chess 247.
De sceptro. The wand of rigour and of iustice plane … Kepis a king his crovne of maieste Stabillit 1513 Doug. i iii 75.
He has na power nor autorite On seys, nor on the thre granyt ceptour wand Quhilk is by cut gevin me to beir in hand 1513 Doug. iii v 25.
The lauchfull son of the kyng Priamus, Rang kyng … Berand tharof the ceptre and the wand 1533 Boece 60a.
Ferichare … ressauit princelie ornamentis quhilkis war ane nakit swerde … ane evin wand (now callit ane scepture) with ane crowne of gold 1596 Dalr. I 133/26.
Ferithar receiuet the kingis waipone, to wit, a naikit sworde, a bent and straucht out wande, in thir dayes called a sceptre, and a goldne diademe

8. transf.The authority, jurisdiction or control of someone bearing a wand in senses 5, 6 and 7 above. Chiefly as under the wand, under the rule or dominion of, within the jurisdiction of, under the control of.(1) 14.. Acts I 346/2.
All the tresspas done vnder the wand of the kingis merschell and constable that is to say uithin xij legis aw to be deliuerit in the kingis court 1456 Hay I 106/33.
The emperour has mony syndry kynde of peple under his wand c1500 Barounis Lawis 10a.
The wiff of that mane … sall nocht be pvnist for the thift of hir husband als lang as sche is vndir his wand 1513 Doug. vii vi 67.
All cuntre onsubieckit vnder our wand It may be clepit ane oncouth strange land 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3815.
That all the temporall lands Be set in few … Till verteous men … Resonabillie restrictit with sic bands, That thay do service nevertheles, And to be subiect ay vnder the wands 1575 Misc. Maitl. C. I 125.
Thair is sum brether quhilk ar nocht under the vand of the provest and bailyeis of the burgh 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 81.
After his death the wife … may revoke that alienation; because sa lang as her husband was livand, she was vnder his wand and power(2) 1446–7 Aberd. B. Rec. MS IV 473 (27 March).
Jhone of Scrogs … chalangit Williame of Pristone for the dispysing of the kyngis wande and rebellying of the alderman & ballieis 1460 Hay Alex. 2868.
He … ordand thame to keip thair the gouernance … And quhan he come be bowand till his wand 1513 Doug. xiii x 123.
Full large bundis … That halely obeyt to hys wand 1556 Dundee B. Ct. III 54 (3 July).
Becaus the said Jonet duellis nocht within our wand scho hes submittit hir … to the jurisdiccioun of provest & bailȝies of this burcht 1570 Sat. P. xiii 141.
Ȝe thristit for his blude, That sauit ȝow quhen ȝe wer in his hand, Quhen ȝe culd not resist his forcie wand 1573–4 Reg. Privy C. II 329.
The said Robert understanding how that he is indytit … [intends] to depart out of the cuntrie without answering to the justice … quhairthrow he intendis to mak the saidis complenaris grittar trouble, be arreisting of thair guidis in France, the said Robert Wilsoun beand anis releiffit be my lord regentis grace of the wand of justice within this realme

9. A fishing rod. 1579 Acts III 147/2.
Slayers of reid fische … be … casting of wandis [etc.] 1597 Acts IV 138/2.
[That thai] sall not slay onie salmound fische in forbiddin tyme with cobill net speir wand creill pock or [etc.] ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 87.
Thair uses quhyles to be slane … verie mony haddokis and quhyttingis by men with thair wandis 1615 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bks. 118.
For the steilling of … tua fishing wandis out of Andro Gariochis boit 1663 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 80.
For ther fisheing in forbidden tyme by net, wand, wastle and coble in the river of Tweid contrair the acts of Parliament

10. A wand, perhaps in sense 6 above, used in or referred to in connection with sorcery. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 311.
This dulefule sentence Saturne tuik on hand … And on hir heid he laid ane frostie wand Than … can he say [etc.] 1576 Crim. Trials I ii 51.
Dilatit of the vsing of sorcerie … with invocatioun of spretis of the devill … the said Elizabeth … declarit that … sche wald inquire at ane Thome Reid quha deit at Pinkye … he … had ane gray coitt [etc.] … and ane quhyte wand in his hand 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 222.
The devill had appeared unto him … appareled all in blacke, with a white wande in his hande … the devill brake the white wand, and immediately vanished

11. A measuring rod. a1500 Bk. Chess 1567.
A pair of ballanx in to his richt hand And in his left of mesoring a wand

12. A stick used to urge on a horse. Also hors wand, see Hors n. 3 a. 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 180.
Sum … Wald ryid to Leith, and ryn thare horssis, And wychtlie wallope ouer the sandis; Ȝe nother sparit spurris nor wandis c1590 J. Stewart 17/87.
Scho gifs hir horse both brydle, chak, and vand, And muifs hir heils, his speid for to compell a1568 Bann. MS 135a/33.
A fule bidis job furth And hes baith spur & wand 1596 Dalr. II 209/7.
With word and wand the kingis horse he sharplie draue out the gait 1644 Hume Douglas (STS) 113/11.
They providit for them selfs flaikes of wandes wherby they made the horse to passe the most difficil pairts

b. attrib.With -hand, that side (of a race-course) on which the jockey held his whip. Also fig. the advantage. 1620 Paisley B. Rec. 288.
The maisteris … salbe present with the rydaris … for gifing up thair names, casting of the dyce for thair places in out-leiding and the wandhandis 1660 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 29 May.
Haveing cast the dye who sould goe first out, and who sould have the wand hand, be the manyest bleks, both fell to the said John Hayfig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 364.
The devil and temptations now have the advantage of the brae of you, and are upon your wand-hand, and your working-hand 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 55.
There is no land or church in the world, as yet that hath, or is like to get, the wand-hand (so to speak) of Scotland, for purity in reformation

13. The penis. Also, wand of … wirilite.(1) 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 400.
Lowsing his poyntis he laid it furth. Scho sayned it with hir halie hand, The pure pith of the pryouris wand 1600-1610 Melvill 44 n.
At nease, at mouthe, at ein, at ears, at wand, That blud, that bursts from all thy conduits weast, Is nocht thyne, Charls 1639 Kirkcaldy Presb. 145.
The said Grisell affirmed … that she saw his wand out of his breaches(2) a1500 Seven S. 1194.
His wame was rissyn … that nane mycht se The wand of his wirilite