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.
Quotation dates: 1400-1605
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Womanhed(e, -heid, -head, n. [ME and e.m.E. womanhede (Chaucer), womanhead (1496-7). Cf. Manhed(e n.] Women collectively, womankind. b. The state of being a woman. c. Womanliness, the defining characteristics of (being) a woman. Passing into d. Chastity, virginity. e. personified. 1461 Liber Pluscardensis I 384.
With all men luffit and lovyt scho wes Quhilk was gret worschip till all womanheid a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 608.
Cresseid … Sumtyme countit the flour of womanheid a1500 Quare of Jelusy 214.
Thame quhich that of ȝoure gladnese is the licht That is to say all lusty womanhede a1500 Bk. Chess 587.
For exampill in to womanhed To kepe thaim chaist … Scho slew hir self 1567 Satirical Poems iv 136.
The crewell work of wretheit womanheid a1585 Maitland Quarto MS 212/107.
Rather lat dolour dryve me to the deid Or I offend my God & womanheidb. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 39/9.
Have mercie, ladie bricht Quhat have I wrocht aganis ȝour womanheid That ȝe suld murdir me 1597 Melvill 432.
Deir damiselles! Leave af your dreirie mean, And grow in godlines to womanhead [: dead] a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxx 25.
The blindit archer … band me bundman … vnto ȝour womanheidc. c1409-1436 Kingis Quair § 117.
Quhen I wepe … For pacience that is womanhede a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 88.
Thy womanheid, thy wisdome, and fairnes 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 474.
I wonder … Quhat creature that micht be was sa fair, Of sa peirles excellent womanheid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 77.
Than suld I waill ane … That suld my womanheid weild the lang winter nicht c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 40/39.
Quhair is ȝour rewthe … Off womanheid the tresour 1513 Doug. iv vi 80.
For thé is womanheid went and wirschip baith 1567 Satirical Poems vii 207.
Jeane, that catiue quene, Baith honestie forȝet and womanheid, Hir husband and hir cousing put to deid Syne with his burrio band ane new mariage a1568 Scott iv 4.
Ȝe lusty ladyis! luke The rakles lyfe ȝe leid Hant nocht in hoile or nuke, To hurt ȝour womanheid a1568 Scott x 26.
Hir—the well of womanheidd. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2022.
Sche tuke one Egistus … Forȝettand all hire womanhed. And … Egestus on hire gat A douchtere c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2316.
Penolope … kepit ay hire womanheid c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v 691.
I a maid and standis in mony stour, Fra Inglismen to saiff my womanheid a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 281.
This devill That schupe to fyle my womanhed 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 5950.
Schir is that ȝour will By ȝour bodie, my womanheid to spill 1567 Satirical Poems iii 195.
He … workis wald wryte in hir contempt, Alsweill of tresoun as of womanheid … Hir for till shamee. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 160.
Suete Womanhede I saw cum in presence
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"Womanhed n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/womanhede>
