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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.

Abide, Abyde, v. Also: abid, abyd, abyid, abbyde, (abayd, abaid). P.t. abad, abade, abaid(e, abayd, abeed, abed. P.p. abiddin, -en, abydden. [ME. abide, abyde, ONhb. ábída, WS. ábídan (p.t. ábád, p.p. ábiden), f. á prefix + bídan Bide v. Examples of the p.p. in Sc. are late, and comparatively rare.]

I. intr. 1. To remain or stay in a place.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 96 (he walde abyde). a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 250 (abyde a lytil); 256 (abyd & blyse me). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2410 (on no syde he durst abyde). c1420 Wynt. viii. 194 (durst nane abyde wallyd towne wythin). c1475 Wall. i. 215 (thow Scot, abyde). 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 247 (to remane and abid with us). 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 20 (we durst not abyde, but fled). c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 281 (quhair he abydis, and euer sall remane). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. ii (the portar sal abyd at the yet). 1582 Aberd. & B. Coll. 353 (to remane and abyde at hame). 1611 Bamff Chart. 166 (that the guidis remane and abyde with my aires). 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 105 (persounes thair abyding and hawnting).(b) 1375 Barb. vi. 425 (sum fled and sum abaid); viii. 373 (abaid all still). a1400 Leg. S. iii. 1046 (all that in the hall abade). c1420 Wynt. ii. 1405 (fyftene ȝhere thare thai abade). a1500 Henr. III. 120/68 (I abaid vndir the levis grene). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 46 (the Scottis and Pichtis that abaid in Albion). 15.. Clar. i. 678 (whill thay com quhair this king abaid). c1590 J. Stewart 32/71 (besyd tham scho no moir abeed). 1611-57 Mure I. 69/244 (none in the cave abaide).(c) 1570 Leslie 226 (gif he had abiddin).

b. To stay away fra a person, place, etc.1568 Haddington Mem. II. 116 (and ye abid lang fra hyr). 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 139 (to abyd fra this present raid). 1637 Ann. Banff I. 78 (to abyid fra the kirk).

2. To remain in a certain state.a1400 Leg. S. vii. 337 (quhen the Iowis in to durnes ay abad). c1420 Wynt. iv. 2036 (thai in gret dowte abade). a1500 Henr. Annunc. 29 (that princes blith with barne abidis). c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 87 (abyde in Christ). c1590 J. Stewart 74/50 (the banquet quhilk prepaird abeed). 1618 Wemyss of Bogie MSS (put to his hienes horne ... and abydes therat).

b. To abide at, to stand by, adhere to.1447 Reg. Great S. IV. 68/2 (thai sal stand and abide at the ordinance). 1489 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 416 (to stand and abide at thair deliverance). 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 405/2 (that abidis at the opinioune of the governour). c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 869 (abyding at my wourd). 1579 Acts III. 174/1 (subiectis quhilkis hes abiddin at his obedience). 1620 Crim. Trials III. 487 (the reuersioun was nevir abiddin at be him).

c. Similarly with of or be.1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. 137 (to stand and abid of all actiounis). 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl. 67 (be the treuth bauldly till abyde). 1641 Acts V. 721/1 (he abaid be the gift of R. Leslie). 1661 Decis. Lords G. 4 (having abidden by the bonds as true).

3. To refrain from action; to wait (for, on, or upon some thing or person).c1420 Ratis R. i. 1070. 1499 Douglas Chart. 173 (to abide on xii persounes). c1500-c1512 Dunb. lvii. 5 (on substance sum man dois abyde). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 11/2 (we … hes lang abydit for ressoning). 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 15 (they abaid vpon sic as … ). 1622-6 Bisset I. 134/21 (the lordis hes appoyntted sindrie actionis to abyde).

4. To remain in existence or stationary; to continue.1471 Edinb. Chart. 134 (thir oure lettres to abide foreuer). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 37 (sen erdly joy abydis nevir); lxxiii. 17 (heir nocht abydis). a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 87 (the bad abydis, the best ay sonest gois).

II. tr. 5. To wait for (a person following).1375 Barb. xv. 63 (wes nane that durst abyde his fere); xviii. 65 (for till abid his men). a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 992 (he abad hyme at the last). ?1438 Alex. i. 2976 (I sall ȝou richt heir abyde).

6. To await, so as to meet or encounter.1375 Barb. iii. 14 (he bauldly thaim abaid); xix. 325 (thai stude thar battell till abyd). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 905 (hovand battale to abyde). a1500 Rauf C. 485 (abyde his meting). c1500 Crying of Play 158 (nocht a maide … may me abyd). 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 58 (thai slew all that abaid thair force).

7. To wait for (some event or occasion); to look forward to, to expect.1375 Barb. xii. 271 (the ioy that ȝhe abyd). a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 78 (abydand oportunyte); xxxiii. 214 (abad hir chance). c1420 Wynt. viii. 3873 (he rescours abade). c1420 Ratis R. i. 1069 (abyd that manis ded). 1513 Doug. x. vi. 12 (abaid the ebbyng). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 45 (abidinge his cuming); 160 (abaid the cuming of the day). 1581 Cath. Tract. 150/33 (na farder iudgement aucht to be abiddin). 1615 Highland P. III. 230 (having abiddin the erles laisour). 1676 Corshill Baron Ct. 132 (tyme of day [being] abidden).

b. Of things: To be in store for (persons).1375 Barb. viii. 253 (quhat gladschip vs abydis). a1400 Leg. S. v. 244 (quhat payne in hel tham abad).

8. To remain faithful to; to stand by or adhere to.1456 Wemyss Chart. 73 (thai salle abyde, fulfille and vnderly the ordinans). 1493 Liber Aberbr. 277 (wndirlye and abyd al marchis and deuisis). 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. 33 (to stand, abid, and fulfill oure decreit).

9. To await the action or effect of; to be subject to, submit to.a1500 Henr. III. 122/41 (this breif thow sall abyd). 1494 Acta Conc. 372/2 (abidand the will of God). 1566 Reg. Privy C. I. 457 (offerand to abyde the law). 1592 Acts III. 611/1 (haue abiddin and underlyne the lawis). 1606 Highland P. III. 86 (I offer to abyid the tryell). 1624 Melrose P. 556 (thay haif abiddin thair tryall).

10. To endure, suffer, bear. Freq. with negative.a1500 Henr. Fab. 1969 (thair will na beist abyde me). c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxx. 28 (justice we may nocht abyd). 1567 G. Ball. 201. a1578 Pitsc. I. 311/27 (steidfastlie abyde the cruell panis); Ib. II. 72/28. 1596 Dalr. I. 155/12 (abyde to beir the ȝok). 1608 Highland P. III. 107 (abaid a lang dispute). 1623 Conv. Burghs III. 142 (hyds not abill to abyid [tanning]).