Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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Constant, -stand, a. [ME. (Chaucer) and OF. constant, L. constans.]

1. Steadfast, steady, firm. c1420 Wynt. ix. 2773.
He wes a constant Catholike, All Lollard he hatyt and heretike c1450-2 Howlat 82.
That is the plesant pacok, … Constant and kirklyk vnder his cler cape 1484 Acts Lords Auditors *145/1.
To preif that he was compellit and constrenit be drede and aw, quhilk micht fall in a constant persoune a1500 Bk. Chess 708.
A iuge of law … suld be … Richt ferme, & werray constant in his mynd a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 387.
That surname … That euyr trew to the King and constant ware a1508 Ib. 419.
I am … Constant in myn allegeance c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4242.
Quharefor, my sonne, be in thy faith constand [: land, hand] 1558-66 Knox II. 156.
The Erle of Arrane stude constant with his brethrene a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xiv. 28.
[To be] Constante in gude of wisdome is ane sing 1596 Dalr. I. 156/15.
He … pronuncet ane oratione … with sa constante a countenance

2. Remaining the same; permanent; fixed. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 21/25.
Na thyng remanis lang constant in ane prosperus stait a1568 Scott xxxiv. 99.
Thair is na constant lufe, Bot commoun merchandyce 1625 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs III. 186.
Ane constant fute of glas to be obseruit be the haill glaissinwrichts

3. Evident, proved. 1616 Criminal Trials III. 408.
Sua that it is nocht constant thairby, quhidder he was past xiiij yeiris or nocht 1641 Acts V. 366.
To compt with me for the haill arreares … that it might be constant what arreares were dew wnpayit 1662 Decis. Lords G. 38.
It is not constant but there might have been a discharge of this debt in his pupil's charter chist