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 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LANDWARD, adv., n., adj. Also -(w)art, -ert, lanward, launward, lannart (ne.Sc., Gall.), lanwa(r)th (Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick viii., xi.). [′lɑn(d)wərd, ′lɑn(d)ərt]

Sc. usages:

I. adv. In, towards or in the direction of the land, or country, as opposed to the town. Gen.Sc. Hence landward-bred, brought up in the country, rustic.Sc. 1703 Answer to a Reply unto Plain-Dealing with Presbyterians 27:
The Parishioners both in Town and Landwart be very Numerous.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xiv.:
Because I am landward bred, I wad be bringing ye to disgrace afore folk.Sc. 1827 Scott Surgeon's Daughter i.:
It [the summons to a doctor] was likely to be within burgh, and not landward.Sc. 1849 M. Oliphant M. Maitland xii.:
It is different with the like of her, landward bred, and aye biding at home.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona i.:
But if you are landward bred it will be different.Sc. 1924 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 101:
In toon an' launward roon, for sax Scots miles.

II. n., arising from prep. phrs. with adv.

1. The country, as opposed to the town, the rural part of a district, parish, county, etc. (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis).Fif. 1706 St Andrews Baxter Bks. (1903) 154:
Any member may carrie bread to the Landuard for sale.Sc. 1734 J. Spotiswood Hope's Practicks 59:
The Difference between a Tenant in Burgh, and him in the Landwart.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 16:
An' Nory was the bonnyest lassie grown That ever was in landert or in town.

2. A country-dweller, a rustic.Ayr. 1821 Scots Mag. (April) 351:
I wad hae written you lang or now, gin it warna for the sooshing whilk a kintra landert maun rin the risk o'.

3. The direction of the land in ploughing, the land-side. See Land, n., 2.Sc. 1858 H. Stephens Farm Implements 161:
Thus Small recommends that the point of the coulter should be . . . ½ inch or 1 inch to landward of the land-side plane.

III. adj. 1. In or of the country as opposed to the town, non-urban, rural. Gen.Sc. For administrative purposes parishes which are partly in a town and partly in the country are often divided into landward and burghal sections. A landward toun, a country town; a farm, see Toun.Sc. 1705 Observator (26 April) 28:
Ye see what difference there is between it [Edinburgh] and a Landwart Town.Peb. 1711 C. B. Gunn Cross Kirk (1914) 60:
The landward children to pay according to the benevolence of their parents, but not more than thirteen shillings and fourpence.Sc. 1731 Acts Gen. Assembly 7:
Where there is a Part of the Parish in Landward, the Call or Election shall be by the Magistrates, Town Council, Kirk Session, and Heritors of the Landward Parish.Gsw. 1757 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1911) 497:
It would be convenient for the community to sell the old mutton or landwart market.Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 26:
There was a jolly beggar, and a-begging he was bound, And he took up his quarters into a land'art town.Sc. 1808 W. Singer Statement of Clergy Scot. 9:
In country parishes, which are called Landward parishes in the style of the Scotish law.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality viii.:
We were at dinner, and the door was locked, as is usual in landwart towns in this country. Note: A landward town is a dwelling situated in the country.Slk. 1828 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) viii.:
Every landward laird's wife was then styled Lady.Fif. 1883 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) V. 335:
An' raggit Willie is the laird O' twa-three landart farms.Sc. 1891 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 81:
Langrashes is what is called in Scotland a burghal landward parish, i.e. partly town and partly country.Kcb. 1912 G. M. Gordon Clay Biggin' 61:
Maist o' the lannart pairt o' the congregation was for Davy.Sc. 1929 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 360:
Keep the pownies frae neichering, thir lanward fouk 'll tak warnin' frae a whaup's skirl.Sc. 1936 Times (11 June) 12:
In the east of Fife we are suffering from a chronic shortage of [water] supplies, especially in the landward districts.

2. Having country manners, rustic; awkward, uncouth (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 103; Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1960). Hence landertness.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 262:
I've shook aff my Landwart Cast, In foreign Cities.Sc. 1745 in R. Chambers Hist. Rebellion (1869) 152 note:
What gars ye look sae landart?Per. 1787 in Burns Life and Works (Chambers-Wallace 1896) II. 137:
It seemed as if he affected a rusticity or landertness.Sc. a.1800 J. Baillie Works (1853) 818:
A wooer that comes when the sun's i' the south, Is mair landward than wooers that come at e'en.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 122:
Wearin' sic fine, an' gentle cleidin', As ill befits their landart breedin'.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xi.:
It's easy enough to begowk two landward simpletons.