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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pans, Pance, v. Also: panse, panch, paunse. [OF. panser to take thought for, to take care of, to treat (the sick), to care for (wounds, etc.), (mod. F. panser to dress (wounds)). Cf. Pense v. Only Sc.]

1. tr. To think about (usu., deeply or seriously), to reflect on; to take thought, consider; to take into consideration.Const. simple obj. or noun clause obj. With indirect question as obj., sometimes = to ask oneself, to wonder.(1) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 444.
My hart is peirst with panes for to pance [: gouernance] Or wrytt that courtis variatioun Off James the Thrid 1533 Boece xi. ix. 424.
The ȝong man hevy pansing this lichtlines and departing hame c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 879.
Perfitlie pance thir pointis last pregnant Id. Seven S. 4295.
Thay will trewlie pans the nixt fault agane 1562-3 Winȝet II. 54/8.
Gretumlie reuoluand and panceand the samin thingis with me self a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1357 (Wr.).
And panse not, nor skanse not, The perill nor the price(2) 1533 Boece iv. xviij. 158.
Grete fere … was amang Romanis pansing how the armye mycht be fra skaith preseruit Ib. vii. iv. 229, ix. ii. 289 b. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2576.
Pans ȝe gif sic pertenis to ane auld knicht Ib. 10673.
And bad pans weill to quhome the deid was done Be quhome [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet I. 23/7. Ib. 134/7.
I wes panceand quhou happy ane thing it war giue [etc.] 1570 Sat. P. xx. 89.
I pans and muse how thay excuse This murther perpetrate a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 803 (L).
Quha pances quhat chancis, Quod he, na wirschip wynnis 1586-7 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 89.
I am ewin pancing quhat poyeit sall compaill 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 97/36.
Thou garris me pance [: mischance] Quhat uay for to escheu Thir sorrous Id. Basil. Doron 2/12. 1611-57 Mure True Crucifixe 2825.
If God bee for thee, panse no who oppose a1650 Row 12.
The faithfull servants of God … had little mynd of themselves, or how they might be intertained; but pansed how this great work might be effectuat to God's glorie 1662 Forbes Cantus (1666) xix.
[I] returned home again, … Pansing what maiden that had been

2. intr. To think, ponder, meditate.Also const. apon, on, also of (a matter).(1) 1535 Stewart 8379.
Heir I will pance ane lytill in this place c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 771.
Perfitlie pance with all maturitie Id. Seven S. 1001.
The empreour … pansit in minde, of his sone not content 1562-3 Winȝet I. 11/23. 1567 Sat. P. iii. 2.
As I was passand, pansand, out the way Ib. 36.
Quhilk causit him oft to be sad and pance [: France] a1568 Bann. MS. 244 a/9, /17. 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 3.
Pans quhil we pieis, we sal not find thame [the works of God] out a1578 Pitsc. II. 2/13. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1407 (Wr.).
He pansed long before he spake 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 89/1.
As I was pansing in a morning, aire, And could not sleip [etc.] c1590 Fowler I. 127/31. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. 32.
Either … walking solitarie in the fieldes, or else lying pansing in their bed 1604-31 Craig ii. 34.
Seuerally they went apart to panse [: chanse](2) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 397.
It wes plesour to pans on his prudence 1533 Boece iii. v. 98.
Pansing apoun thir caisis he concludit retere his armye to Gallia 1558-66 Knox VI. 541.
But heirupon I greatlie pans not 1568 Buch. Indict. 38.
Quhilk answer quhan sche haid pansit vpon sche left that consait [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 259/1.
The king panssit on thir wordis 1588 St. A. Kirk S. 622.
Quhat movis thé to pans [pr. paus] or be cogitative on ony thing 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 150.
Thou … is so laith … to pans upon the deepnes of the mercie of God 1596 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 15.
Pance nocht on geir to do ȝour ewill 1587-99 Hume 84/167. 1600-1610 Melvill 495.
Thus, efter praer, I panset a whyle on deathe 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 180.
Trust not into such toyes, Nor panse thow thair upoun(3) a1570-86 J. Maitland Maitl. F. clxxvii. 23.
Off perrallis pans and for sum port prouide

b. Chiefly in negative, or implied negative, sentences: To pay heed; to care.Also const. for (a matter).(1) c1590 J. Stewart 77/171.
The schiphirds … danst, … Vith jofull harts thay lop and no thing panst c1590 Fowler II. 116/14.
A prence … suld panse litill to be noted with the infame of crueltie(2) a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxiii. 19.
That be na man it may persauit be That thow pansis for tynsall of thy geir 1570 Sat. P. xvii. 46.
For pompe … can na man say he preist … For profite panst not nor his commoditie 1626 Garden Worthies 179.
Such that panse nought for no perrell And hazarding dies in there countries quarrell

3. tr. a. To care for (a person) medically or surgically. b. To dress or tend (a wound).Also, passive, to be tended (for, of the part affected).a. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 491 (Wr.).
If any patient would be pansde [etc.] 1625 Justiciary Cases I. 20.
Doctor Robiesoun quha panset and curet him 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 291.
James Rig chirurgiane gaif his grite oathe that he sould cairfullie and trewlie panse George Workman c 1653 Irvine Mun. II. 254.
The provist callit Tobeas the surgen to pansim and to dres his woundsb. (1) c1590 Fowler I. 188/13.
And panse the wonds of my vnceasant payne For as thow hurt so can thow hail agayne 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 489. 1680 Gunn Stobo Ch. 64.
But with strength to call for ane to panse his wounds c1680 W. Row Blair 576. 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 37.
The stroke given … [him] in the head … wes panched ther by Wood, their own barber Ib. 89.
All the physitians and chirurgions who panssed the wounds 1686 Lauder Notices Affairs II. 757.
[He] probed and pansed the wound — 1689 Narrative Conflict Dunkeld 5.
A wound in the shoulder, which he caused pance(b) 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II. 253.
Two of ther principall chirurgeons for to paunse his wound(2) 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 10.
He … saw him pansit of his coller bane be Andro Mylne cherurgeane