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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Proud(e, adj. Also: prowd(e, prowid, prude, pruid; compar. also prouddare. [ME prud (Ancr. R.), prude, prode (Cursor M.), compar. and superl. also prodder (a 1450), proddest (c 1350), pruddest (14th c.), ME also prut, prout(e (13th c.), ME and e.m.E. proud(e (c 1320), prowd(e, also prowte (c 1440), late OE prút, prúd ON prúð-r brave, gallant, magnificent, stately, f. OF (nom.) preuz, pruz, proz (11th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), oblique cases prud, prod, also preu- (11th c. in Godef.) valiant, doughty, gallant, F. preux, late L. *prōdis (prōde neut., a 200), profitable, advantageous, useful, f. L. prōdesse to be of value.]

1. As a complimentary epithet of persons, esp. warriors, also animals: Of noble or dignified character, bearing or station; noble, gallant, mighty, valiant. Also absol. as noun.Freq. proud in pres, valiant in battle, Pres n. 1. Freq. in superl. c1420 Wynt. iv 1142.
Downald Brec … Kyng wes fourtene wyntyr prowde And eftyre that his dayis wes dwn Ib. viii 6934.
Stand still, or the prowdast [W. prowdest] off yhow Sall on the hevyd have wyth this mace 1456 Hay I 140/17.
Gif a proud man of armes passis to the were for vayneglore Ib. 140/22.
Sa cummys a glorious knycht of Fraunce with a proud company c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3610.
Speris … Straik of the formest doun and the proudest Ib. 3659.
Ane proude man and ane michty lord was he Ib. 3659.
Emenedus fechtand was Aganis the proudest he sw into the preis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 721.
Wes nane sa proud of his part tht prisit quhen he yeid a1500 Rauf C. 20.
In point thay war to parische, thay proudest men and pure 1513 Doug. x viii 41.
Lyke as ane lyoun … had scharply gottin a sycht Of sum prowd bull … Addressand hym reddy to mak bargane Ib. xii vi 69.
Turnus siclike, als chery, prowd [L. superbus] and lycht Amyd the batale Ib. ix xii 91. 1535 Stewart 27759.
The proud Pechtis on the tother syde, In rayit battell … Weill cled in curage and cot of armour cleir c1578 Reid Swire 123.
Proud Wallintown was woundit sareabsol. 1535 Stewart 20855.
In all his tyme … Wes neuir proud of sic auctoritie Moir wirschip wan, nor in that weir wan he

2. Stately, majestic, magnificent, splendid. (Of the aspect of things or persons.) Also absol. as noun.Passing into next sense.Common in alliterative phrases, esp., proud(est) in pall, in pane; proud to repare; and in collocation with papingo, papinjay, paycok.(1) 1375 Barb. xix 561 (C).
And prowd palȝeownys doune he bare c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 1283.
Thair mycht men se mony ane proud blasone a1500 Henr. Fab. (O.U.P.) 877.
With pollis [v.rr. powis, towis] proud ane palȝeoun doun thay picht 1513 Doug. i vii 52.
Dido Begouth to byg a prowd [L. ingens] tempill of Iuno Ib. ii viii 21.
The prowd and ryal werkis [L. decora alta] of faderis ald Ib. iii i 5.
And prowd [L. superbum] Ilion was brokyn and bet down Ib. ix vi 120.
Prowd tapysry, and mekill precyus war Ib. ii viii 119, iii vii 27, ix v 106. 1531 Bell. Boece II 154.
King Donskene convenit all fensabill personis … with proude baner(2) c1420 Ratis R. 1406.
This eild is ioly, proud and gay, And louis weil ay new aray c1450-2 Howlat 125 (A).
The proper Pape Iaye, provde in his apparale a1500 Rauf C. 353.
With mony proud prelat c1475 Wall. vi 454.
Thou art a proud merchand a1500 K. Hart 168.
No saw thai nane never wes half sa proude [sc. than Beauty] Ib. 898. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi 22.
Mony prowd trumpour with him trippit a1540 Freiris Berw. 152 (M).
Sche was als proud as ony papingo Ib. 184.
Quhen scho wes proud richt wounder fresche and gay c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 1033.
Thair proud palphrais was grathit … In glansand geir 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 321.
Scho come furth lyke ane bryde … proud as ane paycok 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix 421.
Polland is a … mighty kingdome … being charged with a proud nobility, a familiar and manly gentry(b) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 207.
My forme and feddrem fair Abufe the prude pacoke war precellande Ib. 216.
This day ful prude; the morne, no thyng to spendcompar. and superl. c1420 Wynt. v 4952.
It apperys noucht to thé Prouddare [C. Prowdar, W. Proudare] than thi state to be c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 379.
And payntit me as pako proudest of fedderis(3) 1531 Bell. Boece II 461.
Robert Erle of Fiffe … entrit with ane proude army in Ingland Ib. (M) II 43.
King Donskene … come with ane proude army [L. ingenti multitudine] aganis the Scottis(4) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 235.
Thai passit in thare pilgramage, the proudest in pall Ib. 327.
I rede ane sayndis man ye send … Of the proudest in pall and haldin of prise a1500 Rauf C. 5.
Thay past vnto Paris, thay proudest in pane Ib. 234.
The quene, proudest in pane(5) c1450-2 Howlat 334 (A).
A pursevant, provde till appere, That raid befor the emprioure Ib. 614.
The plesand povne … , provde to repair Ib. 901.
He lukit to his lykame … So propir plesand of prent, provde to reparabsol. a1570-86 Maitl. F. liv 4.
He luiffit that prowde in paramouris He sayis this hart of myn is ȝouris

b. Pleasing to senses other than sight; of a smell: ‘Fine’, ‘grand’. a1400 Leg. S. vii 705.
Persawand prowd sawoure thare Of sottyne flesche

3. Full of pride, self-importance or overweening self-confidence; arrogant, haughty, overweening; insolent.(1) ?1438 Alex. i 2399.
Ȝon proud king wenes … To ding vs all to deid 1456 Hay II 60/32.
A proud hichty hautane knycht c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 219.
The … mek, quhilkis was nocht sa subtell to wyne the warldis gudis as the glorius prowd man a1500 Henr. Fab. 591 (Bann.).
A nyce proud man void and vaneglorious Off kyn or gude a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 525 (B). 1513 Doug. i viii 53.
To dant The violens of prowd [L. superbas] folk by iust law Ib. iv viii 33.
In my name this a thyng Say lawly to my provd fa 1535 Stewart 28682. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 171/27.
Sua lang as we haif … sic prowd pultrouns to be oure priowris 1562-3 Winȝet II 10/35.
The phrenesie of thir proud pestilent Protestantis Ib. I 44/32. a1568 Bann. MS 14b/20.
With the prowid race of Agareines a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiii 22.
Ȝe that ar sa proud oppresouris 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.
Hypocretis in hart, proud contempnars or machiavell mokkaris of all religioun and vertew 1570 Sat. P. xiii 5.
God … tholis proude pelours to depriue The lyuis from sic as halelie wes his a1578 Pitsc. I 24/34.
He hantit proud and vngodlie menis counsallis(2) 1456 Hay II 61/10.
Thare is na man sa proud and full of orgueill bot [etc.] a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 21. a1500 Bk. Chess 77.
Wantoun he was & prowde in all degre c1500-c1512 Dunb. xli 20.
Be nocht our prowd thinkand ȝe haif no peir Ib. xix 23. 1513 Doug. vi ix 119. 1531 Bell. Boece I 160.
Best was … not to be ouir insolent and proud [L. tantopere intumescendum] for this felicite c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2818.
Scho seand him sa amorous Scho grew proud and presumptuous And [etc.] a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xiv 67. 1571 in Calderwood III 161.
The servants of God … are called proud that miskenne their owne place c1590 Fowler I 121/86.
What makis these mortallis folke to be so proude in mynde, Or yit so puftlye lift thair headis in vanetie 1596 Dalr. I 223/23. a 1643 Household Bk. M. Stewart 12.(b) a1578 Pitsc. I 284/2.
The Earle of Angus become werie prude and insolent in all his doingis(3) absol. a1400 Leg. S. v 215.
Fore riches, prowd and fell Thai rekis nocht of the saule hele ?1438 Alex. ii 6552.
I se tua proud [F. ij orguelleux], sa lappin in pryde That [etc.](4) proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 92.
A bleat cat makes a proud mouse 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 7.
Thair is nian sa proud as a beggar sud he begin to bak

b. Const. of or in (= because of, with respect to) something.(1) 1456 Hay I 45/3.
For dout that thai worth proude and hautayn of thair office 1513 Doug. v v 47.
Apon syk wys, ful prowd of thar reward, Ilkane of thame furth pransand lyke a lard [etc.] Ib. ix iii 135.
In cace thai prowd be [L. se jactant] of the goddis answeris 1551 Hamilton Cat. 51. a1568 Henry Stewart Bann. MS 87b/9.
Be nocht to proud of wardlie guidis heir a1568 Bann. MS 87a/45.(2) c1515 Asl. MS I 200/4.
All Ynglis men ar … sa proude in thar genology and antecessouris 1513 Doug. xiii iii 45.
O dampnabill pryde … that wald Bruke crovn or ceptre, prowd in thyne entent Quhilk beyn sa fragyll 1549 Compl. 175/25.
The maister of the hors men vas verra proud in hym self and alse in his veyrs he vas mair furius nor prudent a1568 Scott i 60.
The wickit pastouris … wer sa proud in thair prerogatyvis

c. transf. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1310 (C).
Thelamonyus … With prowd wordes full fellonly Vlixes manased a1500 Henr. Fab. (O.U.P.) 2446.
With proud plesour quha settis his traist thairin c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii 52 (M).
Ȝoung monkis … in the courte thair proud flesche dantis Full fadirlyk with pechis [etc.] 1513 Doug. vii ix 11.
Scho … said with woce ful prowd [L. voce superba] Ib. xiii iii 54.
Thou sterys furth thir prowd myndis inflait Ib. iv viii 13. 1531 Bell. Boece I 22.
To se gif ony proud insolence [L. superba aliqua] micht gener new divisioun Ib. II 150. Id. Livy I 293/5.
His proude havingis Ib. II 120/22. 1535 Stewart 46210.
For ȝour speiking so proude 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6308.
The Lord … persauit … That his hart was sa proude and hie 1562-3 Winȝet I 55/24.
Sik proud fulege phantaseis, pyntit leis [etc.] … as now regnis in the place of … trew Catholik religioun Ib. 62/34, II 53/32. 1567 Sat. P. vii 191.
Quha slew him self of proude melancolie 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogue ii 15.
Superba … fastidia, proud lichtleing a1578 Pitsc. I 178/6. c1590 Fowler I 204/5. 1595–6 Edinb. Surgeons 22.
To speik ony proude wordis 1596 Dalr. II 142/21. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 186.
He travellit … to mak satisfactioun for his prowd attemptat 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 225/26.
To brydil this proud libertie of sik laik and temporal personnes, as presumis to reid … the scriptures a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv 71.
Proud ee, that looked not befor thou lap 1605 Stewart Mem. 114.
Gewing iwill exempell to vtheris … to comitt the lyk prowd wrangis 1611 Inverness Rec. II 86.
And thair in queet and pruid forme thow keipit they selff secreit 1616 Reg. Privy C. X 657.
The lordis … hes resolvit no langer to oversee this proud contempt 1636 Aberd. Council Lett. II 52.

4. ? Gratified, pleased of (= at). 1513 Doug. xii xiii 4.
Iuno … Quhilk tho down from a watry ȝallow clowd Beheld the bargane therof na thing prowd [L. tuentem]

5. a. Of the sea or a river: Strong in flood, high, swollen.e.m.E. in this sense (1535). 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I 142.
The watteris, fluidis, proud and suallein, that with thair force caries with them euerie thing 1657 Misc. Hist. Soc. VII 25.
The winde cominge … against us, beinge a prowd sea, the bot was driuen upon a rocke

b. Of a purse, of the moon: ? Swollen, full. a1540 Freiris Berw. 150 (M).
Hir kirtill belt was silk and siluer fyne With ane proud purs and keyis gingling syn 1556 Peebles B. Rec. I 234.
The baillies … ordanis the half quarter of the tovn to walk nychtlie quhill the mone grow to the proud lycht, and the quarter of the tovn to walk ilk nycht salang as thai ar proude, and that nane walk [etc.]