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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STEND, v.¹, n.¹ Also sten(n); ¶steen (Abd. 1813 D. Anderson Poems 82). [stɛn(d)]

I. v. 1. To walk with long, firm steps, to stride, to march forward in a vigorous purposeful manner (Sc. 1801 J. Leyden Complaynt 374; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 181; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1971).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 188:
But ours, he said cou'd Vigour len' And gar them stout to Battle sten'.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 28:
As this young squire on haste is stending by.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 251:
The hunter stens o'er burn and brae.Ags. 1820 A. Balfour Contemplation 272:
He stendit now, wi' courage crouse.Bnff. 1868 W. Garden Meg's Wedding 93:
Ae nicht I gaed stytin' an stennin' O'er by Tochieneal, i' my glee.Gall. 1884 D. McWhirter Musings 110:
Wi' stennin' owre yon mossy hag.Sh. 1906 T. P. Ollason Spindrift 85:
Stendin' hame ower frae her tour i' Wastskerry.

2. (1) Of persons: to leap, bound, spring up or forward (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 187).Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 8:
The lover he stended up in haste.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 500:
He stenn'd bawk-height at ilka' stride.m.Lth. 1768 W. Wilkie Fables 123:
O'er a dyke A herd came stending wi his tyke.Sc. 1803 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 639:
He knell'd his head against the wa', An' lap an' stenn'd.

(2) Of an animal: to rear on its hind legs, prance, start (Fif. 1825 Jam. s.v. blort).Ayr. 1786 Burns Auld Mare xiv.:
Thou never lap, and sten't an' breastit.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems I. 184:
They [cattle] rout, and fecht, and sten.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xi.:
The nag began to spring and flee and stend.Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms xxix. 6:
[The Lord] e'en gars them sten like a stirk.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
Stennin' like a tip on a tether.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 23:
Ilk ord'nar beast a tail that wags, Frae stennin' staig to terrier.

(3) Of a river: to tumble along in its course, to cascade.Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 92:
When wintry frosts and lang-lain snaws Rush down dissolved by speedy thaws, Ye open wide yer lang-haired jaws And belch and sten.

3. Fig., of emotion, etc.: to soar, mount with excitement; to throb, pulsate.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 246:
My Saul to higher Pitch cou'd sten.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xv.:
The reid life dinnling and stending in their members.

4. tr. To stride across, to cover (ground) in long steps or strides.Mry. 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 115:
I stately sten'd the Stane-Corse-Hill.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 241:
The moor-haggs were wide — but he sten'd them.

II. n. 1. A long firm bouncing step, a stride (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1971). Also fig.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 188:
While Sauls stride Warlds at ilka Stend.Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 190:
Then Patie came in wi' a stend.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 288:
When back he came, wi' yawfu' sten', An ell at ilka stride.Ayr. 1816 A. Boswell Works (1871) 167:
Forward, ye Crawfords, wi' a stend.Kcb. c.1880 Vale of Urr Verses MS. I. 50:
An' there will be Gomeral Auchen Wi' check-plaiden breeks an' lang sten.Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 175:
True to his tryst, wi' loup an sten, Young Jock came whistling up the glen.

2. (1) A spring, jump, bound, “a leap on one foot” (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 187; Sh., Ayr. 1971), of persons or animals. Phrs. to gie or tak a stend.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 503:
The Town Sutor like Laury lap, Three fit at ilka stenn.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 27:
The cotter's cur Out owre the porritch-pingle takes a sten.Per. 1802 S. Kerr Poems 41:
I've taen a stend frae aff my stool.Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 88:
Tae bringe upon us wi' a sten.Ags. 1891 A. Lowson Tales Frf. 168:
The child . . . gave a stend, and fell out of young Peg's arms.

(2) Of a river: a tumbling movement, a fall or cascade.Ayr. 1790 Burns Elegy on Capt. Henderson iv.:
Ye burnies, wimplin down your glens Or foaming strang, wi' hasty stens, Frae lin to lin.Bnff. 1865 Banffshire Jnl. (27 June):
Syne doun the glen, wi' mony a sten They merrily seaward hie.

3. Fig., of the heart, feelings, etc.: a sudden start or throb, a thrill of excitement, fear or the like.Ayr. 1789 Burns Tam Glen vi.:
My heart to my mou gied a sten.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 33:
My love burnt heartie in its beatin' Gied mony a sten.Ags. 1869 R. Leighton Poems 325:
Something within me aye comes wi' a sten'.Ayr. 1879 J. White Jottings 145:
But they ne'er, in their whispers, Gie my heart sic a sten'.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xv.:
There gaed a cauld stend o' fear into Tam's heart.

¶4. A thrust, shove.Sc. a.1796 Merry Muses (1911) 40:
But on the edge of Errock brae, He gae me sic a sten.