A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1596
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Confound, Confund, v. and p.p. Also: -founde, -fownde, -funde, -fonde. [ME. confounde, -funde (c 1290), AF. confoundre, OF. confondre, -fundre, L. confundere.]
1. tr. a. To bring to confusion; to overcome or overthrow; to cast down. Chiefly fig.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 321.
Symon and Nero ay Ar full pensyve how thai may Confownd thé c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 46.
Swa throuch folly or nycete I dowt confowndyt for to be c1420 Ib. vii. 526.
Thai … sayd Ingland wes lyk to be Confowndyd for gret inyqwyté 1456 Hay II. 106/25.
Thy realme salbe … wele defendit and thy fais confoundit a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 872.
Thow art ane Sarazine, … For to confound our Cristin men that counteris sa kene a1500 Doug. King Hart 78.
Ane water … Boldnyng to ryis the castell to confound c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii. 2.
Done is a battell on the dragon blak, Our campioun Chryst confoundit hes his force 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 30.
Thow did no diligence Contrair this theif quhilk al the warld confoundis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 20/12.
Ane mistoneit string confoundis all ȝour harmonie a1578 Pitsc. I. 258/32.
And thow do it thow wilbe confoundit and brocht to schame 1596 Dalr. I. 2/15.
This way the reidar sal nocht be offendit, nathir sal the writer be confoundet(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints vii. 662.
The stynke … confwndyt mony mane a1400 Ib. xxxiv. 80.
[To] confonde me one domysday 1513 Doug. ix. xiii. 65.
On sik wys is he quhelmyt and confundyt That [etc.] 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 17/6.
The phrasis of the antiquite vald be confundit ande adnullit 1562-3 Winȝet I. 57/36.
Quhilk ane article specialie he cheseit … to confute and confund in the pulpet
b. To confuse (by mistake). 1596 Dalr. I. 229/5.
Sum … of the vnlerned sorte, quhen thay wryt of Brigitta of Sueuia, … with this our Brigida thay confunde her name
2. p.p. Confounded, brought to confusion, etc. c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii. 415.
I repent … That thow art thus with faintnes all confound 1560 Id. Seven Sages 9104.
Florentine was sa confound in spreit, Scho culd do nocht a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xciv. 2.
This nyght to me appeird, My silent Muse in sorrou all confound a1586 Kamington Chron. Setoun xxx.
This goode lord was … Be force of fois confound in Floudane feild
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"Confound v., p.p.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/confound>
