A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1498-1617
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Gladnes, Glaidnes, n. Also: glade-, glaydnes. [ME. gladnes, OE. glædnes, f. Glad a.] The state of being glad; joy, happiness, contentment; rejoicing, mirth, merrymaking.(a) a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 613.
Quhy Crist our king … Sufferis opyn synnaris … To ring in gladnes so gay & glorius a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 2455.
He chargit not bot … how his puples hartis to emples; Thar gladnes ay was to his hart most es a1578 Pitsc. I. 45/1.
He was ressawit with great ioy and gladnes and bankcatit reallie(b) a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1540.
Glydand glaidnes temper with the gall Of hevy panis c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 1.
I that in heill wes and glaidnes c1500-c1512 Ib. xxiii. 8.
Without glaidnes awailis no tressour 1513 Doug. ii. Prol. 21.
All erdly glaidnes fynysith with wo 1513 Ib. v. iv. 83.
This wes the formaste day of hir glaidnes 1531 Bell. Boece II. 95.
Is your glaidnes evanist afore ye be vincust? 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 153/26.
He smylit and leuch, and changit his coller in glaydnes 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 595.
To the cietie thay did hir all conuoy, With all glaidnes, mirth, melodie and ioy a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS clxx. 132.
God quha him sic grace and glaidnes gave c1611–c1617 Mure Misc. P. i. 109.
In age, a doating madnes, A schort abiding glaidnes(c) 1596 Dalr. I. 210/12.
[He] with al concentes was admitted and approuen with joy and gladenes
b. A source of gladness. a1585 Arbuthnot Maitland Quarto MS xlv. 16.
Quhen I find I am so far thame fray Quha wes my onlie confort and glaidnes
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"Gladnes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gladnes>
