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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Behald, Behauld, v. Also: behalde, behaild; p.t. beheld(e, beheald, beheild; p.p. behaldin, -yn. [Northern (and early) ME. behalde, bihalde (midl. and southern beholde). ONhb. behalda (WS. be-, bihealdan).]

1. tr. To look at, regard, keep in view.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xi. 75 (to behald hym in the face); xxxiii. 20 (all the folk behaldis thé). ?1438 Alex. ii. 254 (ȝon ald man behald and se). c1450-2 Howlat 95 (to behald ȝour halynes). 1456 Hay I. 110/20 (behald the kingis of the peple); II. 134/19 (to behalde faire visagis). a1500 Rauf C. 416 (behaldand the hie hillis). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 230 (I … him behaldis hamely). 1513 Doug. i. ix. 27 (hym behald now present heir). 1549 Compl. 66/11 (to behald ther lycht lopene). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1532 (behauldand the dede creatouris). a1578 Pitsc. I. 60/27 (ane lamentabill sight to behauld). 1596 Dalr. I. 49/21 (beutiful to behalde). c1650 Spalding I. 10 (the Marques behaldis all patientlie).(b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2497 (he beheld Pirrus). c1420 Wynt. ii. 1276 (quhen scho beheld hym increly). c1450-2 Howlat 408 (ane as cheif I beheld). 1513 Doug. i. v. 6 (he of Lyby beheld the land). 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 24 (this sche beheald be ane throwch lok).(c) 1513 Doug. i. iv. 2 (eftyr that Neptune had behaldyn the seys).

b. With clause as object.1375 Barb. viii. 91 (behaldand how his menȝe fled). a1400 Leg. S. xxxv. 11 (behald & se how I sal bryne … ). c1420 Wynt. ii. 38 (ane archare that behelde quhare Nynus yhude). 1513 Doug. ii. x. 9 (to behald quha remanyt with me.); iii. vi. 117 (behald quhat change may be mysknaw). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 434 (to behald quha the battell wan). a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 953 (behauld how he himselfe behaues).

c. To contemplate, consider, regard.1456 Hay I. 88/6 (men suld behald the will of the person); 213/18 (behald that the Emperoure had na superioritee); etc. c1460 Consail Wys Man 198 (behald thi self). a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 984 (now man, behald thi maker immortale). a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xiv. 61 (behald the warldis instabilitie).

2. intr. To direct one's eyes; to look.a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 443 (thu ga & behald grathly to that ȝat). Ib. xxxviii. 537 (a tribune beheld to this Natalia). ?1438 Alex. ii. 175 (Cassamus to the king beheld). c1475 Wall. v. 145 (Kerle beheld on to the bauld Heroun); vi. 880 (the Erlle beheld fast till his hye curage). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 637 (all the bernys about that beheild … ). 1513 Doug. i. vii. 1 (Dydo gan towart hym behald). c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 217 b (behauld into the latene buik). a1585 Maitland M. Q. xi. 4 (behauld and heir).

3. To suspend action; to await.Also used trans. in Eng. form behold. c1650 Spalding I. 176.
Heiring this committe wes adjornit … , thay beheld, bot keipit still the feildis Ib. 177.
He resolues, if he could, he wold indure more, … and so beheld patientlie

b. To keep on, continue. c1650 Spalding II. 186.
He beheld and preichit half ane hour longer nor the tyme

4. tr. To suffer or permit. c1650 Spalding I. 147.
[They] thairfoir desyrit his lordschip … that he wold be pleissit to behald thame to go on Ib. 190.
The barronis … beheld the Hieland men to go plunder wp and down