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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sterand, Stirring, Stowrand, ppl. adj. Also: stering, steirand, -ing, stearing, sturring. [ME and e.m.E. stiryng (Chaucer), sterynge (Mandeville), styrand (c1400), styrond (Destr. Troy), steryng (Palsgrave), steerynge (1538), stirrynge (a1548), sturring (1551-2); Ster(e v.¹]

1. Moving, full of energetic movement, orig. of a horse. Cf. Stering vbl. n.¹ 1 d. Also transf.(a) 1375 Barb. xi 129.
Mony ane sturdy sterand steid ?1438 Alex. i 252.
Ȝe haue hors richt weill at hand, Stalwart, stith and weill sterand [F. tes chevaus plus isnel d'une aronde], And ȝe thair nocht dreid na chaissing! ?1438 Alex. ii 3435.
My steid is weill steirand, Staluart and swyft and weill at hand [F. mes chevaus courans et d'aler volentieus] ?1438 Alex. ii 8647.
Strekand with spurris the sterand steides; To Salphadyne thay ȝeid thair way a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 588.
On ane sterand steid, that sternly will stert 1513 Doug. v Prol. 10.
Knychtis delytis to assay sterand stedys 1513 Doug. xi xv 7.
The fomy sterand steid 1513 Doug. ix ii 37.transf. 1513 Doug. xii ix 82.
Of hys awyn stedis … The sterand hufis stampand 1614 Melvill lxxi.
Sueit steiring streames(b) 1513 Doug. x vi 27.
The stowrand famy bargis dyd rebound, Inrowand fast towart the Latyn grond

b. Not calm, turbulent. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 239 (Asl.).
Of covatis I wyte the rafand rage In the vnstable sterand stormy stowris

2. Stimulating, rousing to action, inspiriting.(a) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1050 (Harl.).
Compacience persand in to my spreit remanis With sterand reuth and thirland stormy stoundis, Woundirlie wirkand outhrow all my vanys c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. ii 4.
My preching was nocht in subtile sterand [P. sturyng, W. persuable or suteli glosynge; Vulg. persuasibilibus] wordis a1585 Arbuthnot in Maitl. Q. 140/11.
The stering spreit quhilk poetis call devyne Into my febill breist I find decay I nather courage have [etc.](b) 1645 Rutherford Tryal Faith xxii 255.
If God should withdraw his stirring and prædeterminating influence

3. Of a person: a. Characterised by energy or vigour. b. Trouble-making.a. 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 451.
Towns or country places … where they hear His people to be most stirring and thriving-likeb. 1637 Baillie I 43.
Some suspected it might be the apprehending of some of the most stearing nobility 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 251.
His sone … is recorded to have been ane active & sturring adversarie oposite to the Livingstone of Callender