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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.

Bind, Bynd, v. Also: binde, bynde, bynnd, byn; p.t. band, bound; p.p. bundin (-ine, -ing), -yn(e, -en, bwndyn, bondin(g, -yn, boundyn, -in(g; bund (ybund), bonde, bound(e, bownd; boune, bowne, bun (bvn, bwn). [ME. binde(n, bynde(n, ONhb. (and ON.) binda, OE. bindan.]

1. tr. To tie, fasten, make fast, with a cord, bond, etc.(a) a1400 Leg. S. i. 85.
Thane gert he rath sanct Petire bynde Ib. iii. 646.
One the croice thai suld hym … bynd faste c1420 Wynt. iii. 262.
Thai come To bynd … Sampsone a1500 Bernardus 94.
Geff auarice thi purs sal lows and bynde a1500 Seven S. 1560.
The tother arme than gart he bynd c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 45.
Thought I wald bynd it with a wickir c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2374.
Thay bryng mad men … And bvndis thame to sanct Mongose crosse 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 298.
For towis to bind the fallow that wes skurgit 1595 Duncan Appendix.
Vieo, to binde with wandes(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 515.
Symon … band ane hell hound at his ȝete Ib. xxxvi. 838.
The worthi man thai band than son c1420 Wynt. iii. 386.
Wytht thai rapys scho him band Ib. iv. 2661.
His bestys twa … Till a cryb … He band wp a1500 Rauf C. 797.
He band his blonk to ane busk 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 294.
To the sowtare that band the pailȝounis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 241/18.
[Thai] tuke the letter and band it on ane burd 1555 Peebles B. Rec. 209.
He band Thome Alexander handis 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 179.
Scho tuik twa oxin, and band in on seill 1601 Crim. Trials II. 360.
Thay band ane tedder about his nek(c) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 591; Ib. xl. 1130.
Bundyne faste bath fwt & hand c1420 Wynt. viii. 1484; Ib. 6026.
A cophyn … Lokyt and bwndyn wyth sylver brycht a1500 Bk. Chess 275.
Bunding he was in chenȝeis a1500 Doug. K. Hart 204.
Thay kan thame bundin bring 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 217.
That … Thomas sould be haid bundyne to the gallos 1549 Compl. 102/19.
Ane vthir speyr … bundyn athort betwix the twa speyris 1560 Rolland Seven S. 79/21.
Fast bundin hands and feit 1568 Inverness B. Rec. I. 172.
Quhilk sek was bundin wyth ane raipe of stray(b) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 631.
Quhar he … wes … Bondyn & befte Brus x. 382 (E).
Ky or oxin … wont to be bondyn left tharout(c) c1475 Wall. vii. 1159.
Him selff ... he ordand . . Bownd on the trest ... to sit 1513 Doug. xi. xi. 56.
This tendir ȝonglyng, bund onto this tre c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 571.
Quhen Talbartis woundis wes bund up fast c1552 Id. Mon. 3812.
[He] brocht thame, all bound, to Babilone 1560 Rolland Seven S. 70/13.
Thay war fast bound to ane stock a1585 Maitl. Q. xlii. 165.
Ilkane with other be the top is bound 1638 Ann. Banff I. 81.
To be … knut and bund to the trie

b. In various figurative contexts.Sometimes in alliterative phrases, as bundin in bale. a1400 Leg. S. xxxv. 231.
Al my synnis … I band as it a byrne had ben ?1438 Alex. ii. Prol. 12.
Than ga I boundin all in baill Ib. 193.
In his bandoun he walde hir binde 1456 Hay II. 139/9.
Evill collis that byndis mannis body c1475 Wall. xi. 289.
He is nocht, that bonde is in inwy a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 240.
Wysemen thus ar bund in thi bondage 1490 Irland Mir. I. 53/24.
He … bindis and festynnis him in syn a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 233.
I hald me bund till ignorance 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 299.
Richt so am I to Virgillis text ybund [Sm. ybound] 1533 Gau 62/5.
He … band thair conscience sua that [etc.] 1535 Stewart 37223.
Into the breist … [he] stoppit wes and bun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4350.
Quhame ever he byndis … , Thay boundin ar in Goddis sycht a1568 Bann. MS. 221 b/11.
I … in hir bandone lyis bundin moir and moir 1596 Dalr. I. 118/28.
The dissolute maneris … sa wyslie thay band 1619 Edinb. Test. L. 255 b.
Being lang bund to the bed of seiknes

c. absol. in the phr. to bind and lous. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 136.
He thame gafe Playne power … To bynd and lois 1456 Hay I. 254/15.
All lawis ar till him opyn, to bynd and lous at his will c1500 Rowll Cursing 7.
Vnder the lord to lous and bind 1584 Acts III. 359.
Ane absolute power to bind and louse

d. tr. To bind (a book). Cf. Binding vbl. n. 1620 Wedderb. Compt. Bk. 73.
My Hector Boethis in Laten, weill bund 1644 J. Row p. xxvi.
The book of our Covenant … bund be Johne Andersone's sone

2. To unite in alliance or attachment. 1375 Barb. v. 303.
Douglas … gret blithnes had That the gud men of his cuntre Wald swa-gat bundin till him be c1420 Wynt. vii. 1722.
Hys Erlys and Barownys … bwndyn wes … In fermely festnyd alyawns To the Kyng Henry off Ingland Ib. viii. 6725.
Gyf scho bunding ware in wedding 1485 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 137.
Baith the said lordis ar bundyn ilk ane till vthir in lawtie and kyndnes c1515 Asl. MS. I. 192/4.
Quhill the Saxonis war falslie sworne to the Bretonnis and bundyn to tham 1530 Maxwell Mem. I. 261.
It salbe lefull to thame to bynnd thame in manrend to quham thay plesor 1535 Stewart 18439.
Thus wer thai bund with letteris seillit braid

3. To put (oneself or another) under a bond or obligation (to do something); to constrain or restrict in respect of action.In legal documents freq. combined with other verbs, esp. oblis, and common in the pres. tense or the past participle.(a) 1405 Maxwell Mem. I. 146.
At the said setting and maling sal nocht byn the saidis Schir Williame … bot as analiar c1420 Wynt. vii. 3060.
He wald on na wys Thar-off bynd hym till assys Ib. viii. 592.
That ilke custwme suld … bynd his tenandis 1456 Hay I. 130/3.
That ath byndis him nocht agayn his fader Ib. 254/3.
To bynd the pape be the Emperouris lawis 1463 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 375^B.
We … byndis & oblisis ws ane as batht & batht as ane 1474 Lennox Mun. 103.
I … byndis, oblisis, astrenȝeis and drawis me … to the saydis Patric and Waltir, … to be tane, pundit [etc.] 1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 18.
Bindand the said Elizabet … neuer to cum in the contrare 1531 Bell. Boece I. 56.
For the observation thairof, he wald bind him … under quhat astrictionis thay plesit 1562-3 Winȝet I. 72/16.
Quhen ȝe … bindis and astrictis ws only to the doctrine … set furth at Geneua 1589 Aboyne Rec. 166.
Quhilkis letters of reversionis … we bind and oblis us … to warrand 1682 St. A. Baxter Bks. 142.
Quhilk act and ordinance we … bindis and obleis us to obtemper(b) 1482 Acta Aud. 108/1.
An instrument … in the quhilk he band him to pay the sade sovme 1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. 44.
Witnesis … deponit that John Mannis band bot his hand and his gudis for the vphaldyn of his land 1622-6 Bisset II. 248/6.
Marineris band theme with there maisteris [that, etc.] 1630 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 244.
The regiantis … band thame to ratifie his Majesties decreit(c) 1409 Exch. R. IV. p. ccxii.
Gif Robert Stewart … and Archibald of Douglas … will be … bundyn to this band c1420 Wynt. vii. 969.
The Kyng … Gert all thai Statys bundyn be Till the Emprys in fewté Ib. 3190.
This Kyng … wes hale Bwndyn to lyve be cownsale Off this Kyng Henry 1459 Ayr Chart. 32.
The said fare thai … ar bundin til ws thareuppoune to kepe yerli as efferis 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 10.
Of amerciament for the quhilk Wedast Gresone wes bundin for his cousing c1475 Wall. x. 605.
I am so boundyn with wytnes to be leill 1488 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 48.
It sall nocht be lauchfull … to ressett … ane vther mannis prentis … sa lang as he is bunden to his maister 1490 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 102.
A last of salmonde … for the quhilk the said Thomas was bundin be his obligatioun ?a1500 Steel Roy Robert 198.
At we are bunding of det to do 1506 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll. V. 85.
To be bounding and oblist [etc.] 1520 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 306.
To be bondin and oblissit … that I [etc.] 1536–7 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 82.
The saidis persones being alwayes bundin and thirlit to the saidis commoun mylnis and to grynd all thair malt and cornys thairat 1573 Reg. Privy C. II. 310.
We undersubscriband to be bundin and obleist [etc.] 1595 Paisley B. Rec. 166.
[Thai] become actit, bundin and obleist that [etc.] 1603 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 106.
To be bundin and obleist … as followis(b) 1456 Hay I. 192/10.
Sa is he nocht bound to na subjectioun of law Ib. II. 47/33.
Sa suld the knycht be till his lord bounde in lautee 1463 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 375 B.
To be bunde & sekirly to be oblist [etc.] c1475 Wall. iv. 57.
War noucht I was bonde in my legiance 1496 Acta Conc. II. 16.
The sade Lord of Innes is bund to keip him skaithles of the sade soume 1513 Doug. ii. iii. 30.
To na cuntra nor lawis am I bund 1517 Reg. Privy S. I. 449/1.
Personis … quhilkis wil be bund to remane and leif under the kingis obedience 1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 61.
At his entrie to his prenteiship before he becum bund 1596 Dalr. I. 114/8.
The hail nobilitie … ar bund of that necessitie, that [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II. 241/22.
He is bund to restoir the awaill as it is prysed 1660 Aberdeen B. Rec. IV. 194.
The present Commissioners finding themselues bund to indevor that no disaffected person [etc.] (c) 1475 Peebles B. Rec. 174.
And that the said William is boune and oblest to kep 1482 Bk. Carlaverock I. 440.
The saidis procuratouris ... has bowne thaim that ... it salbe na hurt ... to the said Lord

4. To make (a compact, etc.) firm or sure. Also with up. 1375 Barb. x. 825.
That cunnand band thai sekirly c1420 Wynt. vii. 2014.
Bandys betwene thame richt straitly Bwndyn [were] … off cumpany 1456 Hay II. 94/21.
Alsa it efferis to the king to bynd trewis c1475 Wall. vi. 910.
Quhat I bynd her oure baronage sall consent Ib. ix. 663.
Be thar chansler the tothir pees was bwn c1515 Asl. MS. I. 239/5.
Thai send furth Snawdoun the kingis herrod to Lundoun to bynd wp the trewis 1513 Doug. xi. iii. 75.
Twelf days of trewys thai band a1568 Scott ii. 105.
Thay band vp kyndnes in that toun 1568 R. Bann. Memor. 163.
It is … finallie contractit and bundin vp betuix … Sir Williame Kirkcaldie … and [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 136/26.
Ane perpetuall band of amitie and freindscheip to be bund wpe

5. absol. To make a bond, bargain, etc. 1456 Hay I. 182/2.
Suppose the capitane wald oblis him … ȝit may he nocht bynd bot for his awin folk c1475 Wall. vi. 927.
Than band thai thus; thar suld be no debait Ib. ix. 559.
Gyff ȝon be he that band for him and his 1480 Acta Conc. 46/2.
William Boyde band and oblist and swore that … he sall nocht entermet withe the landis nor gudis 1596 Dalr. I. 150 marg.
Eder refuses to bind with the Romanes a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxii. 30.
I will not bind, bot vhair I bound to byde