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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sound, Soun, adj. Also: sounde, sownd, sonde, sund, soon. [ME and e.m.E. sund (Orm), sounde (c1290), sond (Cursor M.), sownde (Trevisa), OE ᵹesund sound, healthy.]

1. Of persons, their bodies, etc.: a. Free from disease or ill-health; healthy, fit, robust. b. Free from injury; unharmed, unscathed. c. In respect of one's mental faculties: Sane, rational. Also transf., of the faculties themselves.a. a1500 Henr. Practysis 21.
Is nowdir fevir nor fell … Seiknes, nor sairnes in tyme gif I seid Bot I can … With sawis thame sound mak a1500 Henr. III 117/51.
My self is sound but seiknes or but soir c1475 Wall. ix 1921.
Hys lymmys gret, with stalwart pais and sound, Hys browys hard, his armes gret and round c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) iv 10.
The stait of man dois change et vary, Now sound, now seik [etc.] 1689 Leven & Melv. P. 351.
The officers and the sound men … rushed outb. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 586.
Thai say that He in his scurging Sufferit mair pane … Than Sanct Laurence in tyme of his roisting … Fra heid to fute na part thai levit sounc. a1686 Turner Mem. 228.
Being in indifferent good health; my bodie … not very crasie; the intellectualls which God hath bestowed upon me, sound enough 1700 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 31 July.
I … being sick in body butt sownd in judgement

2. Hale and sound (sound and hale). a. = 1 a, b above. b. Of a thing: Intact, undamaged.Cf. safe and sound, sound and safe in Safe adj. 6.a. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 177.
The abbot thane … of the fyr come hale & sonde a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 648.
To Constantinople come thai Hale & sownd in dawing of day 1398 Fœdera VIII 55/1.
The qwhilk commissaris ar oblist … for til appere the said persones … as hale men and sounde 1460 Hay Alex. 1588.
The spere … strak baith hors and man vnto the ground, Bot as God wald Samsone was haill and sound a1500 Henr. Fab. 2943.
Now haill and sound now deid and brocht on beir c1475 Wall. v 463. a1500 Seven S. 2595.
The child thai succurit hastely And had him with thaim sovnde & hale c1515 Asl. MS I 155/13.
Sa is Affrica departit fra Asya and Europia, as a member that is seike fra the memberis that ar hale and sound c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xc 17.
Thair is no leiche ma mak thé haill and sounde, Quhill it [sc. a wound] be sene, and clengit every deill c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 162. 15.. Clar. iii 985.
Meliades … was … haillit haill and sound, Whair breer and thorne had maid hir mony woundb. 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 206.
[They] hes deliverit bathis veyis and stanes to the said Jhone Brown, he to deliver thaim haill and sound one the Friday effoir Vitsonday a1570-86 Maitl. F. 442/36.
Thouht it be lost or teint the day Quhilk thow haid haill & sound ȝeistrein

3. Of things: Wholesome, health-giving. 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 133.
The plane pulderit with semly settis sovnd 15.. Clar. v 1510.
Whill … tentit was his wound, And bundit up with sawis that war sound

4. a. Of things or substances: Solid. b. Of a wood: Dense, deep.a. 1513 Doug. vi i 135.
To Phebus and Diane … Of sownd marbill [L. solido de marmore] tempillis beld may I 1513 Doug. xi xi 47.
The schaft [sc. of the spear] was sad and sound [L. solidum], and weill ybaik 1513 Doug. xi xvii 19.
The stowt stedis with thar huvys sovnd 1545 Aberd. B. Rec. I 222.
To cause … sok the gwne … with ane guid soun sok 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii 23.
This temple … The stains thairof wer marbell soundb. a1400 Leg. S. xvii 16.
Sa thik & sownd was the wod Be-twene Arle and Avynone

c. Of a tree: ? Free from decay, healthy, strong. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 358 (Wr.).
The craige was ugly, stay and dreigh, The tree long, sound and small

5. Safe; free from danger. 1535 Stewart 35143.
Suppois the se was neuir so soft and sound: In that passage this ilk Edmund wes dround

6. Of sleep: Deep, profound. 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Ane sound sleip 1596 Dalr. I 288/10.
The keiperis of the kings chambre, now in a sound sleip, all deid drokne

7. a. Of a person, etc.: Reliable, trustworthy. b. Soundly or reliably informed about (in) (something). c. Of reputation: Honest, unsullied, (morally) good.a. 1525 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 77.
To uptak and rasaiff ane haill cowmpt baytht of kyrkis guddis and common guddis and put thaim in soun [pr. sour] handis for the common proffet 1676 Inverness Tailors Min. Bk. MS 10 Oct.
The said John Baillie … [thinking it beyond his capacity] for himself alone to setle the affairs of the trades, … therefore resolved … that the most discreet and sound nabbs of the freemen should join with him in councilb. 1682 Wodrow Hist. IV (1830) 502.
Mr. James Renwick, who was present … at all our conversations … being … soon in both the matter and manner of our proceedingsc. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 138/27.
They were … deboshed and insolent liuers, where … he was … a man of sound reputation

8. Of persons: Holding acceptable views with regard to religion; orthodox (in, of religion or belief).(1) 1560 Bk. Disc. 190.
The persone … that offered him self to the administratioun of the kirk … gif he be found sound, abill to persuade by hailsome doctryne [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 757.
That … sound Protestantis [be] put in thair rowmes(2) 1579 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXI 115.
Ane of the doctouris … if he be sound in religioun to teach the school of Dumfreis 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 38/5.
We now being sounde of religion c1670 Row in Musselburgh 101.
A gentleman of good understanding and knowledge, sound in the Reformed religion