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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Understanding, vbl. n. Also: undir-, wnder-, wndir-, wndyr- and -standing(e, -in, -yng(e, -yn, -eng. [ME and e.m.E. vnderstanding (Cursor M.), understandyng (Rolle); Understand v.] = Onderstanding(e vbl. n.

1. The capacity to understand; intellect, intelligence. a1400 Leg. S. vi 395.
Of [wisdom] … procedis Vndirstandynge [L. intellectus] a1400 Leg. S. vi 478.
That ee the vndoynge Is of oure harte & vndirstandinge a1500 Henr. Fab. 1645.
Mannis saull is … Off vnderstanding waik and vnperfite To comprehend Him a1500 Henr. Orph. 429 (Ch. & M.).
Orpheus … Quhilk callit is the part intellectiue Of mannis saule, in vnderstanding free, And separate fra sensualitee a1500 Henr. Orph. 578.
Quhen Orpheus vpoun his harp can play That is, our vndirstanding, for to say, Cryis, ‘O man, recleme thi folich harte!’ 1490 Irland Mir. I 39/35.
This may be wndirstand of the gift of the Haly Spreit of wndirstanding that is callit donum intellectus 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 180 (G).
Blyssit be the Sone off Gode … quha … hes steirrit vpe ȝour wnderstanding for eruditione to be had thairin

b. Of vnderstanding, of good intellectual capacity, intelligent. 1428 Liber Melros 520.
The saide assis askyt mar help of men of vndirstandyng 1506 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 51.
The principale barones, mast of knawledge ande undirstandin, ar not present a1578 Pitsc. II 218/15.
Ane verrj wyse man of vnderstanding

2. An individual's capacity for understanding; (one's) mind, mental powers. Also pl. 1400 Facs. Nat. MSS II 44.
I write my lettres in Englis fore that ys mare clere to myne vnderstandyng than Latyne ore Fraunche 1490 Irland Mir. III 36/15.
To trow vthir thingis that ar nocht lik to thame that ar dayli wrocht be the commone cours of natur and that our … natural wnderstanding may nocht knaw na comprehend 1494 Deidis of Armorie 43.
Quhen enchantouris or dissavouris of wordis addressis tham till him [sc. the asp] he clois his wndirstanding and will nocht her thaim 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV 62b.
Johne Kennedy … haill & perfyte of memorie ingyne iudgement & vnderstanding … makis his latterwill 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX 267b.
He is seik & hes nocht his awin rycht vnderstanding 1600-1610 Melvill 17.
My ingyne and memorie war guid aneuche, bot my judgment and understanding war as yit smored and darkpl. 1596 Dalr. I 105/12.
Doctrine and leirning now lang hes our myndes manured and vndirstandengs

b. Knowledge, learning; intellectual accomplishments, collectively. a1400 Leg. S. xl 34.
Syne he leyrit to red & syng, & of vthire vndirstanding 1562-3 Winȝet I 24/7.
As vnderstanding with science is maist … happelie conquest in ȝouthe sua nane doutis it at that tyme obtenit

3. Comprehension; cognizance, awareness. Chiefly, to have understanding (of, intill something).(1) 1562-3 Winȝet I 67/11.
Led … be na wilfull ignorance, bot be the trew wnderstanding of Godis word(2) 1496 Acts II 238/1.
[The eldest sons of barons] to remane thre ȝeris at the sculis of art and jure sua that thai may haue knawlege and vnderstanding of the lawis 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 89.
We delay the pleys … quhill this xv day, becaus ve have na understanding quhill ve be avysit with men of lawe 1532 Ex. Processes p. l (Betoun v. Melville).
Thai culd nocht gudlie determe heirintill quhill tha war recounselat with vthiris haiffand vnderstanding heirintill 1551 Hamilton Cat. 24.
My peple hes nocht hade understanding [L. populus meus non intellexit] that is to say … thai haif nocht knawin me for thair awner

b. To the wnderstanding of, that can be understood by (another). a1578 Pitsc. I 350/8.
I had leiffar speik fyue wordis to the wnderstanding and ediefiecatioun of the pepill nor ten thousand … quhilk they wnderstand nocht

c. To haue (gett) understanding. d. impers. With come: To obtain information, find out.c. 1552 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale I App. xciii.
And gif [ony of] ws be oure myance or knawlaige can haife understanding that [the Grahams] be myndit to invaid [etc.] 1562 Inverness Rec. I 89.
The said comptaris hes wsit thair exact diligence [but] … can gett no vnderstanding quhar sic men ar 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 339.
He speirit at … vtheris … how the … king wes slane; bot he culd neuer haue na wnderstanding bot that he wes blawin in the air be the violence of the poulderd. 1485–6 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
It is cumyn to my knawlage & vnderstandyng … that [etc.] 1603 Gowrie P. 104.
[Anyone] to whose knowledge, notyce, or understandinge it may come

4. Meaning; sense, signification. 1375 Barb. iv 236.
Thai sa fals ar … That thai mak ay thar ansuering Into dowbill wnderstanding [C. vndirstanding] To dissaiff thaim that will thaim trow 1375 Barb. iv 268 (C).
That scho the titar suld consaf Of his spek the vndirstanding [E. wndyrstanding] 1375 Barb. xx 391.
Quha wald tak kep to this ansuer, Suld se in it wnderstanding [C. vndirstandyng] That [etc.] 1375 Barb. xx 400.
[They] pryssyt hys ansuer gretumly For it wes maid with mek speking And had rycht hey wnderstanding ?1438 Alex. ii 3834.
Quhat he menit thay vnderstude na thing, For thare was doubill vnderstanding c1420 Wynt. iv 372.
The ansuere … Offt dowbyll wnderstandyn [C. wndyrstandynge, W. vnderstanding] hayis

b. Interpretation, explanation (of phenomena), based on knowledge or doctrine. 1456 Hay I 8/30.
For efter the rycht understanding of philosophy, the frost cummys of the erde and is liftyt abune the aire 1562-3 Winȝet II 19/19.
Giue we dissiuir nawais fra this vnderstanding, quhilk our haly forebearis … appreuit … we sall follow the diffinitioun … of almaist all the preistis … and the techearis 1562-3 Winȝet II 43/11.
Heirfor, lat al the vnderstanding of sik a persoun aluterlie be wappit away, quhilk be finȝeing … an wthir, is tane on hand

c. A particular way in which something can be understood; a potential mode of interpretation. 1456 Hay I 12/35.
The haly scripture has four maneris of understanding. The first is efter the letter … the tothir is … the rycht witt [etc.] 1456 Hay I 117/34.
All vertu morale is ane understanding of mesure of mannis condiciounis