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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Round about(e, adv. and prep. Also: rownd, rowind, rowynd; rund; roune and abowt(e. [ME and e.m.E. rounde aboute adv. (Manning), prep. (Caxton); Round adv. and About.]

A. adv. 1. On all sides; all round. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 288.
Thus ar the husbandis dytit all … And heryit quyte away all round abovt 1513 Doug. ii viii 45.
We pyke … Round al about quhar the ionyngis war worn, Reddy to fall Ib. ix vii 64.
All the mekill rowt, Or he was war, hym lowkyt rownd about Ib. x iii 2.
The Rutilianys stowt The cite portis lappit rownd abowt 1531 Bell. Boece I 82.
The anciant tempillis … with benkis of stane round about [M. rowynd abowte] within 1596 Dalr. I 27/9.
For the craig is a myl within the sey, and that maist deip round about 1602 Ayr Chart. 137.
Ane aikir of land … merchit and meithit round about 1664 Glasgow B. Rec. III 32.
Ordaines the well there to be heightit twa stones heigher rowind about for preservatioune of childerin falling therin

2. With a circular movement; so as to go round in a circle; so as to pass (a drink) round. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 123/14.
Lat anis the cop ga round about And wyn the covanis banesoun a1540 Freiris Berw. 415 (M).
With that wourd thay drank round about Off the gud wyne 1540 Lynd. Sat. 824.
Me think the warld rynnis round abowt 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics ii 401.
Redit … in orbem, comes round about, hes never ane end

B. prep. 1. On all sides of; in, or as in, a ring about. b. ? Following the curve of. 1375 Barb. xvi 452.
[They] fand clerk Elys at the mete And his round about him set c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 150/19.
Round abowt him as a quheill Hang all in rumpillis to the heill His kethat 1513 Doug. ii x 71.
Quam al thre The Grekis armyis walkis rownd about Ib. iii vi 62.
Of Ausonya the salt stremys eik Rownd about with ȝour schippis mon ȝe seik 1528 Cal. Charters Suppl.
The marchte stanys to be set … begynand at the cartar myre eyst rownd about the sayd landis [etc.] a1538 Abell 118b.
With … 60 thousandis and 50 nobillis of Almane and Spanȝe rund about him on fut 1623 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 283.
And four fuitt heiche of astller to be putt roune about the heid thairof [supra the east tour of the said college] 1672 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 281.
Ane considerable plate of ground round about the saids kirks, commonlie called the kirkyardb. 1672 Rothesay B. Rec. 231.
Allexander Flimein is to have Polskyt from Donald Kelsois roundabout the schore bak to the tolbuithe

2. Round one side only, so as to move or pass around. a1500 K. Hart 681.
Honour he raid the castell round about c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 155/162.
He had full mony lowsy harlott Round rynnand him aboute 1535 Stewart 49044.
Quhen he wes harlit round about the toun Efter the cart of Achill a1578 Pitsc. II 37/22.
The Scottis … past … round about ane hill