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

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

Wod(e)man, n. Also: wood(e) man, (wodmane). Pl. woud men. [ME and e.m.E. wodemen pl. (1297), woodman (c1400), wodman (1512); Wod(e adj. and Man n.]

1. A madman. Also proverb. b. as (lyke) a wodeman (wodmen), furiously, as if mad. a1400 Leg. S. vii 402.
He that kert blynd men clerly se, & woud men in thar wit to be a1400 Leg. S. xi 412.
Wodmen … In quhame the feyndis than can dwel a1400 Leg. S. xix 285.
The iugis, that hyme saw thare Prayand … Fore a wodman demyt hym 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 33.
Ony wod man the quhilk may nocht consent of law to na cunnand or ȝit he that is lunatik 1456 Hay I 227/30.
A woodman … has na knaulage of wit na resoun mare than a beste 1456 Hay I 227/36.
All that a woodman dois, he dois throu woodnes and rage, and throu moving of ane evill spirit of furour, quhilkis excusis him 1475 Acts II 112/2.
Alienacioune of … landis throw ydiotis and natural fulis, furious and wodmen 1504 Treas. Acc. II 430.
To ane wif thare that kepit ane wod man 1570 Leslie 113.
Ane wod man possesst slew … ane lady of heretage [etc.] a1599 Rollock Wks. I 442.
Fy on thee Papist with thy meritis: fy on the warkis of preparation, can ane wod man prepair him self for grace? 1640 Lanark Presb. 23.
He wold not ascribe the begining of this reformatione to wodmane [? erron. for wodman]proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 653.
He is a wod man will slay himself and neids notb. 1375 Barb. x 649 (C).
As wood men thai clame a1400 Leg. S. x 438.
Quhene the puple that has harde, As woud men for doule thai ferde a1400 Leg. S. xvi 718.
For joy as wodmen he ferd 1456 Hay I 49/33.
Cipro was a hardy man of armes, and come as a wode man, for sorowe and dule of his men that he saw tynt 1513 Doug. ii vi 49.
Panthus … Cummys lyke a wodman til our ȝet rynnyng 15.. Clar. iii 1900.
He as woode man spurrit ower the bent

2. pl. Wild, savage, fierce men. b. As a character in a play. [This sense may, in part, derive from Wod(e n. Cf. Wodwys n. (pl.).] 1513 Doug. vii xi 94.
A hail legioun in a rowt followis hym Of wild wod men 1596 Dalr. I 11/19.
The monasteries … the furies of thir wod men throuch the hail realme haue castne douneb. 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I 10.
The fleschowares sall fynd twa or four wodmen … the brethir of the gilde sal fynd the knyghtes