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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rando(u)n, -down(e, n. Also: rawn-, rayn- and -do(u)ne; randound, randome; Randell. [ME (c1305, Prompt. Parv.) and e.m.E. randun, -don(e, -dom(e (Caxton), OF randon (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).]Chiefly in the phr. in (a) randoun.

1. Great speed or force of movement; a headlong course. In (in till) (a) … randoun, a. At full speed, impetuously, furiously; ? rapidly, without hesitancy. Passing into: b. In a straight line; directly.(1) 1375 Barb. ii 311.
[He] raid in-till a randoun rycht The strawcht way towart Meffen Ib. xvii 694 (E).
The stane … with gret wecht syne duschit doun … in a randoun [C. randoune] ?1438 Alex. i 58.
Schir Sampsoun … led thame in ane randoun richt To Iosaphas Ib. 3188.
Emynedoun … come prikand in ane randoun c1420 Wynt. viii 4494.
Rawndown [C. randowne] c1475 Wall. x 417.
The hors … ran in a gud randoun Till his awn folk 1568 Charteris Lyndesay Pref. Adhort. (S.T.S.) 41.
Princes approche: cum rewlaris in ane randoun(2) 1375 Barb. v 632.
He that had his suerd on hicht, Raucht him sic rout in randoun richt, Richt he the hed to harnis clafe a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 267.
[He] strak the dragone in randone rycht In at the throt Ib. 350. a1500 Lanc. 2540.
And al his vthir artilȝery also He dowblith hath … And stronghar thane ony wallit toune His ost y-bout yclosit in randoune 1513 Doug. x v 124.
Crannys … fleand in the ayr With spedy fard in randoun heir and thar 15.. Clar. ii 1633.
As the first cours [sc. of a meal] com in randound

c. To ane randoun, = a above. a1500 K. Hart 217.
Out thay raid all to ane randoun richt

2. A (straight) course or flight; the path of a missile. c1420 Wynt. ii 1338.
He bade his sone [Icarus] in to the flycht Hald ewyn in tyll a rawndown [Wr. randome, C. randon] rycht, Noucht tyll hey … Na to law 1513 Doug. v ix 66.
This schaft, fleand in the moyst ayr, Brynt in a bles, and the randoun alquhar With low and flambys gan do notyfy Ib. x vi 115.
The grundyn hed and bludy schaft … haldand the self randoun as it went 1535 Stewart 21817.
Of fedderit flanis into randoun richt, Fra thame thair flew richt mony felloun flycht 1596 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 247.
A piece of artillery, which, shott, passeth not linallie through the enemie, destroying onlie those that stand on the randon thereof

b. The straight line formed by certain birds (e.g. swans) when in flight.Only in Doug. 1513 Doug. i vi 149.
Behald twelf swannys in randoun glaid and fair Ib. vii Prol. 120.
Palamedes byrdis … Fleand on randon, schapyn like ane Y

3. A (straight) line.(a) 1375 Barb. xviii 130 (E).
A cause That wes betuix thaim & the toun And strekyt lang in a randown c1400 Troy-bk. i 548.
Thane tok the sonne … Eclyps — bot all again nature Of hys kindely coniunctioune, The moon notht standing in randoune(b) 1387 Edinb. Chart. 35.
Chapellis … fra the west gavyl lyand in rayndoun est on to the grete pyler of the stepyl

4. At randoun. a. At great speed, without care or control. Passing into: b. Heedlessly, negligently. c. (Left) at liberty. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 264.
Wee found twelve … Turkes ready to receive vs, … who foorthwith opened at randone the two great brazen halfes of the doore a1649 Drummond I 15/227.
Psyches louer hurles his darts at randon c1650 P. Gordon Brit. Dist. 26.
[Montrose's men] lay at the casie-munth, carelesse, and at randonec. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix 388.
There was not a bandit left at randon in all Sicilia