Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1801-1819, 1885-1946
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BOUN', BOUN, Bound, n. [bun]
1. “Extent, width” (Abd.9, Kcb.9 1935). [bun]Ayr. 1885 R. Lawson Maybole Past and Pres. 76:
Its hooses may no be sae stately as mony, Its streets and its lanes may be narrow in boun'.
2. In pl.
(1) A district, the stretch of land enclosed within certain boundaries. See Boons. Mearns 1819 J. Burness Plays, Poems, etc. 146:
A cunning knave, . . . Strove what he could sic tales to vent, To get the bounds for little rent.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-head, etc. 143:
Lord — lord, to see the country loons; They swarmed like bees owre a' his bouns.Ayr.8 1935
Comb. biggit bouns. a cluster of buildings with their grounds. Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1813) 36:
Well fells us 'at's in bigget bouns.
(2) Limits of the body; hence size.Ork. 1946:
The schoolmaster hadno boun on him to strike wi'.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse, Maistly in the Doric 140:
Ye've nayther boun's nor girth To haud your ain wi' men.
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"Boun' n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/boun_n>
