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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

POUND, n. Sc. usage. Also pownd. An enclosed stretch of water, a pond, pool, reservoir (Bch. 1891 Trans. Bch. Field Club II. 13; Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 260; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Kcb. 1966). Also in Eng. dial. Combs. curling-pound, fish-pound, etc.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xv.:
He pu'd the hale three out of the auld Fish-pound.Peb. 1884 J. Grosart Poems 80:
A resting place, to mar their sloy Upon the curlin' pound.Lnk. 1890 H. Muir Rutherglen 42:
Diggin' an auld ditch to mak' a fish poun'.Bwk. 1900 A. Thomson Thornlea 72:
A wud gang the length o' hae'ni' a mull driven be water-pooer, if ye hae a guid pound.Bwk. 1947 W. L. Ferguson Makar's Medley 21:
Juicks frae the pownd returnin' hame.

[A variant of Eng. pond, also common in Eng. dial. The diphthong suggests borrowing from Eng., the historical Sc. form being Pund, n.2, a pound, an enclosure for straying animals, q.v. Pond is orig. a form of pound, an enclosure, confined space, e.g. a dam of water.]

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