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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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BEHAUD, BEHAD(E), v. Sc. form of Eng. behold with uses as in Eng.; also a group of Sc. usages. [bə′hɑ(:)d Sc.; bə′hǫ:d em. and wm.Sc. See P.L.D. §85, §93.]

A. Usages as in Eng.

1. To look at, to see.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 11:
If ye behaud a herrin' cart, or see a sweetie stand.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 87:
Behad the bees whare'er they wing.

2. pa.p. behauden, behadden, behaddit, behudden, behau'd (reduced form), indebted to, like Eng. beholden. Gen.Sc.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Du's been weel behadden ta me.Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Sel. from Writings 31:
I've been a hoosehadder fu' fifty year, Baith wife an' widow, an' behau'd to nane."em.Sc.(a)"" 1895 "I. Maclaren" Auld Lang Syne 168:
There's no a body in the glen but is behaddit tae ye.Lth. 1920 A. Dodds Songs of the Fields 3:
And tae him we're behauden Far mair than we can tell.Gsw. 1934 (per. Slg.³):
The pudding is muckle behudden [bə′hʌdn] to the sauce.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 198:
I daresay, we war mair behauden to some ill e'e an' fause heart, than either short night or moon light.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 41:
Nae mair behadden to sic swankies, As, deils or witches, for their prankies. [O.Sc. behaldin, behauden, beholden, (1) bound to do something; (2) bound or obliged to a person. First quot. in D.O.S.T. is 1456.]

B. Sc. usages. v., tr. and intr.

1. To hold back. Imper. phr. behaud ye, not so fast, hold on, have patience.Sc. 1712 Letters from Prof. Blackwell in Spalding Club Misc. (1841) I. 212:
But, for my oun part, till once an expresse come to the English Court, I design (as they phrase it in our country) to behade.Mry.(D) 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 89:
Behad a wee, Ye'll shortly see Me rax my neck, and craw.Abd. [1768] A. Ross Helenore (1866) 149:
If she a toumon be behadden yet, Ye'se get your will, quo' he.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 8, 97:
But, behaud ye. Though thae folk may think that, Marget's nane o' yer folk wha sails sae laich. . . . 'We're no juist sae comfortable, Princie, as gin we'd been at hame; but juist behaud ye, laddie: we'll ging hame rejoicin this very nicht for a' that' quo I to Princie.Per. c.1824 Songs of Lady Nairne (ed. C. Rogers 1869) 104:
How safe and sound lay Scotland's crown, Behad, I'm gaun to tell, sir.Ayr.² 1914.

2. Leave off.Abd. 1879 G. Macdonald Sir Gibbie I. vi.:
Ance I'm begun, there's nae mair thoucht o' endeevourin' to behaud (withhold) till I canna drink a drap mair.

3. Recognise (development of behold, to see).Ags. 1894 J. Inglis in Bnffsh. Jnl. (29 May) 2:
"Ou aye!" said the farmer very drily. "I behaud ye noo — wisna yer mither henwife at Dun?"

4. Warrant, maintain.Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
"I'll behad he'll do it"; "I'll behad her she'll come."

5. "To view with an eye of watchfulness, scrutiny, or jealousy" (Sc. 1825 Jam.²).Bnff.² 1934:
Thinks I "Ma mannie, I'se jist behad ye for a fyle t' see foo far a lenth ye'll gang."Abd.⁴ 1929:
Behad, to watch surreptitiously.Ags.² 1934:
"I juist behuid 'er," Let her go on, taking it all in, combining the senses of watch, await, permit.