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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rummis, -ys, -e(i)s, v. Also: rum-, rumb- and -is(c)h; (ramys, rammeis). [Perh. f. an OF *rumir, *romir Reum v., lengthened stem *rumiss-.]Common in Doug.

1. intr. Of an animal or monster: To utter a loud harsh sound; to bellow. c1420 Wynt. v 2949.
A dragowne fell … to the towne reparys offtsys, And as he rewmys [E. rummesis] and he berys, All the towne in stynk he sterys 1460 Hay Alex. 151.
The beistis on the feildis … Rumist and routit, that hidduis was till heir Ib. 10936.
The oliphantis … rampit rumyst and tuke ane wther gait 1513 Doug. ii v 41.
Lyke as a bull doith rummysing and rayr Quhen [etc.] Ib. iii x 17.
A monstre … Grassilland his teith and rummysand [Sm. rummesand, Ruddim. rummissand] full hie Ib. iv Prol. 66.
The bustuus bullys … So rumysyng with hydduus lowand cry Ib. vii Prol. 22.
So lowd ne rumyst [1553 ramyst] wild lyoun or ber Ib. vi xvi 34.
Rumesand c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5468.
Gret quhalis sall rummeis, rowte and rair c1590 J. Stewart 209 §38.
The bittir beist … be the smell Of this my drink he rummissit as slaine 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 140/492.
Hydre and Cerbere als … loudlie howle and bray And rummish fast and rore

2. Of a person: To utter loud inarticulate sounds; to roar; to cry; to shriek. 1513 Doug. vi ii 42.
This Sibilla Cwmane … Quhar as scho sat rumysand in hir cave Ib. viii iv 145.
Quhar he was closyt in a cave of stane, Fast rumesand apon a strange maner 1531 Bell. Boece I 240.
The wemen come efter with terribill noyis, rummisching as wod rageand beistis, and set on the Romanis Ib. (M) I 258.
Nocht wes hard bot horrabill murnyng of rummesand and deand pepill 15.. Clar. i 970.
He rumbischit whill rared everie roch c1475 Wall. (1570) vii 459.
The pepill … Rumist with reuth and mony ane grisly grane 1603 Philotus 287.
Ane lairbair … His filthsum flewme is nathing fair, Ay rumisching with rift and rair

b. Of a group: To complain openly to each other; to protest vociferously. 1533 Bell. Livy I 299/21.
Than the small pepill began to rummys, saying the faderis has betrasit thare public liberte [etc.] Ib. II 118/36.
The hale senate began to rummys [L. fremitus … ortus]

c. tr. To complain (that something is the case). 1533 Bell. Livy II 126/26.
On the tothir side the faderis rummyssit nocht that thare honouris war maid commoun als wele to the small pepill as to thame, bot erare becaus thare honoure was loist

3. intr. Of inanimate things: To emit a loud rumbling noise; to resound, re-echo. 1513 Doug. iii x 36.
And holl cavernys or furnys of Ethna rownd Rummyst and lowyt, fordynnyt with the sound Ib. vi iv 40.
The grond begouth to rummys, croyn and ryng Vndir thar feyt 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 234/613.
Their cannons rummisht [v.r. rammeist] all at once, Whose mortall thudding draue