Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FOND, adj. Also fon'; ‡found (Sh. 1919 T. Manson Peat Comm. II. 77; Cai.⁷ 1943); †fand (Lnk. 1838 McIlwham Papers (ed. Morrison) 17) from Ir. influence. [Sc. fon(d), ‡Sh., Cai. fʌund]

Sc. usages: 1. Eager, desirous; glad, happy (Arg., Gsw., Dmf., Slk. 1952). Constr. with tae and inf., rarely with for. Obs. in Eng. since mid. 18th cent.Sc. 1722 Analecta Scotica (ed. Maidment) I. 306:
The arch-bishop of Canterbury's judgment of my History I'll be fond to hear, if ever he shall read it.Sc. 1743 Earls of Crm. (ed. Fraser) II. 293:
I shall be mighty fond to have the honour and vast pleasure to have your lordship and the worthy countess in this little house for some days.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 52:
What like a warld was't then, to ken I'm fon'.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie lxxxvii.:
My sister wasna fond to bid you, 'cause we hae only a head and pluck, and a cauld hen.Gall. 1824 “Cincinnatus Caledonius” Lights and Shadows 114:
Among the Scottish noblemen who were fondest for the union, the Earl of Mar was certainly one.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xx.:
Miss Grant was very fond to carry me there.Arg. 1936 L. McInnes Dial. S. Kintyre 19:
I'm aye fond tae get the hey cut afore the Glasgow Fair.

2. Foolishly keen, esp. on something which is itself foolish or hopeless, doting, infatuated, silly. Gen.Sc. Also used adv. Phrs. to be very fond, stinkin' fond, used ironically in conditional mood as an emphatic negative, e.g. I'd be very fond = I should never think of, I should certainly not (Ags.⁶ c.1875; Bnff.¹⁶, Ags.¹⁹, m.Lth.¹, Bwk.³, Arg.³ 1952).Sc. 1796 Crafty Farmer in Child Ballads No. 283 xvi.:
I've met a fond fool by the way, I swapt horses and gave him no boot.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 121:
He kiss'd me weel, And fond on wedlock was inclined.Dmf. 1831 Carlyle Sartor Res. ii. ii.:
Writing from the abundance of his own fond ineptitude.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 11:
Hei wad think A was fond, — braisslin on an stressin masel that gait in ony sic waather.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood xiv.:
Ye're lucky fond, lattin them a' ride ower ye that gait.Edb. 1936 F. Niven Old Soldier i.:
He had sent the passage-money to the lass he had been courting for her to go out and marry him — and she went too. “She must have been fond!” said Minnie.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 7:
You should see her son, if you think she's fond!
He is daft aboot the schunner, it's beyond
Rhyme, it's beyond reason or any sense at a'. Edb. 1998:
Puir, fond lassie. Chasin that man an he's juist no interestit in her. Edb. 2002:
She must be fond tae look efter thae bairns aw day. She disnae even get peyed.