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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.

Stout, Stowt(e, adj. and adv. Also: stoute, stoutt, stut(e, stuit, stult. [ME and e.m.E. stout (c1300), stoute (Manning), stowt (c1440), OF estout, brave, fierce, proud, MDu. stout.]

1. In descriptions, orig. chiefly of combatants, expressing approval or admiration: Bold, valiant, courageous; proud; fierce. Freq. in early verse. Also absol. (as noun).Also const. to do (something), for (something).(1) 1375 Barb. viii 454.
He wes bath ȝoung, stout and felloun, Richt ioly als and volageous ?1438 Alex. ii 1548.
King Clarus … Richt stout and hardy of affere ?1438 Alex. ii 3440.
Courtes and meik in cumpany, And in battell stout and hardy ?1438 Alex. ii 4192. ?a1450 Florimond 304.
Thair is nane of ȝow all sa stout And men taik ane lyme him fra a1500 Henr. Fab. 2508.
For he [sc. the wether] wes mekill and semit to be stout, That euerilk beist thay dred him c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxvii 39.
The sowtar to the feild him drest, … As ane defender stout c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 192/38.
Deid castis upe his ȝettis wyd Saying … Albeid that thow were never sa stout, Undir this lyntall sall thow lowt 1535 Stewart 27870.
Full … mony stout man stickit on his hors c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 73.
Gude Williame Meldrum … Stalwart and stout in euerie stryfe c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2751.
One gret arme Off the most stalwarte men and stoute, Off all his regionis rounde aboute 1554 Knox III 213.
A stout and prudent marinell in tyme of tempest 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9204.
Gwydo is wonder stout and strang, In fait of armes he hes bene vsit lang 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 53.
Wes nan sa stout durst tak the steir on hand a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 41/22.
Thairfoir be stout and lat thame vnderstand [etc.] 16.. Hist. Kennedy 25.
He was wyise and courteous, and thairwith stoutt and passing kynd 1626 Garden Worthies 79.
In warr … tri'd stout tri'd trew 1649 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 587.
Then was he something stoute, and refussed to subscrive that paper 1650 Fugitive Poetry II xxiv 4/4.
Stout men in talk, if words were stroakes 1680-6 Lauder Observes 7.
James Skeen, … was so obstinatly stout that, both in face of Privy Councell and of the Criminall Court, he [etc.] 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 61.
Putting their hands upon their swords To make men think that they were stout(b) 1375 Barb. viii 241.
Ga we mete thaim sa hardily, That the stowtest off thar menζe Off our meting abaysit be 1375 Barb. xv 548.
The mast cowart He maid stowtar then a libart c1420 Wynt. i 312.
Sethys swnnys … Luwyde Kayinys dowchtrys stowt and gay c1420 Wynt. vi 561.
Dowchty man he wes and stowt c1420 Wynt. viii 2125.
He fayre wes, and plesand, Manlyk, stowt, and liberale 1513 Doug. vii v 141.
Gar … euerilk stowt ȝongkeir First in thar myndis desire to move the weir 1513 Doug. ix ix 57.
The wild ragyt best quham huntaris stowt Hes ombeset … all abowt 1513 Doug. xi vi 138.
Quhou stowt and wight Is he … And how sternly he rasys vp hys scheild 1513 Doug. xi xii 18.
The stowt wench Camylla 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I 276.
He was a good stowt gentillman, and not very wys a1568 Scott ii 41.
To se the stryfe come ȝunkeirs stowt, And mony galȝart man 1591-2 Rob Stene 15.
Thow cative knaif, Wald thow seme stowttar nor the laiffabsol. (as noun) ?1438 Alex. i 804.
The stoutest of vs all … Sall sone ȝarne erar hame to be Than [etc.] a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 831.
So sal ye stonay yone stowt, suppose he be strang(2) 15.. Dum Wyf 99.
I am devill butt doutt First language learnit hir till, I dar not be sa stoutt To bid hir hald hir still 1567 Sat. P. iii 92.
Tresoun to try sho was that tyme maist stout 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 180.
Yee ar fell stout to abide so manie warnings a1650 Row 449.
Most zealous and stoute for the Reformation 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 74.
The bishops … Still stout for them who gives them most

b. Of a person's heart, courage, etc.: Bold, valiant; proud. 1375 Barb. vi 116.
His hert, that wes stout and he, Consalit hym allane to byde c1420 Wynt. viii 2563.
Lordis, falowys, and maystris, now Wyth stowt hart … Settis agayne this ane assay a1500 Sir Eger 1934.
He was a man of stout courage, Furthy, and forward in the field c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 485.
Sum stalwardly steppis ben with a stout curage And a stif standand thing staiffis in mi neiff 1513 Doug. ii ii 7.
By stowt curage … dowtles reddy to de 1513 Doug. iv viii 84.
This gentil baroun … in his stout breist … Of reuth and amouris felt the perturbance 1513 Doug. ix iii 114.
The hie curage and forcy hardyment Baid onamovyt in Turnus stowt entent 1533 Boece 462.
He had euer ane stout corage and bare him evinlie a1578 Pitsc. I 143/26.
Ane stout curage ewin representand the Allmantis or Gildranttis curage 1588 King Cat. 23.
Give me … a valkryffe harte, … a stoute and vnwinnable, that na tribulation may mak veirie 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 2a.
Blist is the man … That feirs the Lorde with mynde sa stowt c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxx 56.
Stoup, stubborne stomak, that hes bene so stout 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 85.
Others … Return unto their former station: And now, for all their stomachs stout, Comes home more fools, than they went out

c. Of (part of) an army: Bold, powerful. 1375 Barb. xii 180.
Thair avaward, that wes so stout, And syne ȝon othir ioly rout a1400 Leg. S. xl 877.
A gret oste of Ingland, … var cumand; & bad hyme … contre thaim, tho thai var stoute ?1438 Alex. i 829.
The greatest hoist, and the stoutest, Of ony cuntre, and the best, Suld of that sicht abasit be 1513 Doug. xi xi 116.
I wald … at … scho … had not hastit … Forto molest the Troianys stowt army

d. Of a warhorse: Bold, courageous, powerful, strong. Cf. Stent adj. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 551.
Vpon a bardit curser stout and bald, Mars, god of strife 1513 Doug. xi xii 43.
Togidder duschis the stowt stedis

e. Of the flesh: Powerful, strong agane (the soul). a1400 Leg. S. xl 54.
Til abstinence he gef hym … & held his fles vndirloute, For dred it suld be thra & stout, Agane the sawle

2. Ferocious, violent. 1375 Barb. iii 103.
Off thar cowyne the thrid had thai That wes rycht, stout, ill, and feloune a1400 Leg. S. i 338.
Paul to Rome com … And prechit Cristis law but dowte To paganis richt fell and stowte ?a1450 Florimond 390.
That lyoun hes sa stout lukeing and felloun That in this warld is nane sa wicht, sa stout, nor of sa mekle mycht 1513 Doug. xii xii 65.
Thai twa bullys … duschand festynnys fast thar hornys stowt 1676 Welsh Gospel Summonds Pref. 4.
There is even some folk that has been stout in wronging Christ and his people

3. Of a person's face or look: Bold, courageous; proud; stern; fierce, terrible. b. ? Angry. a1400 Leg. S. xi 304.
Thai [sc. the apostles] … with stute fare But rednes schot thai edryse til a1400 Leg. S. xix 469.
He … rase & that [tha] wemane speryt has With stut vysage & auchtful spek ?1438 Alex. i 665.
Richt stout visage [F. le visage fier] and fair he had ?1438 Alex. i 1010.
Of blyth manere, With stout visage [F. plain vis] and lauchand chere ?1438 Alex. ii 7618.
Porrus … With coist as lyoun bald to fecht, And stout visage [F. haut eslevé le vis] to se be licht a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 87.
Come girdand in greif ane woundir grym sire; With stout contenance and sture he stude thame beforne, With vesage lufly and lang [etc.] c1475 Wall. x 78.
x thousand off douchty men … Quha couth behald thair awfull lordly wult, So weill beseyn, so forthwart, stern, and stult c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlviii 93.
This awfull beist full terrible wes of cheir, Persing of luke, and stout of countenance 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I 104.
[Gowrie's speech on scaffold] … his stout countenanceb. a1540 Freiris Berw. 196 (B).
The gudwyfe spak than with a visage stowt ‘Ȝone is Symone … That I micht tholit full weill had bene away'

c. Of a person's walk: Bold, vigorous. 1513 Doug. vii xiii 76.
[They] On far behaldis hir stowt pays in a lyng, So manfully and baldly walkis sche

4. Of a battle, quarrel, etc.: Hardfought, valiant; fierce, ferocious. 1375 Barb. xii 522.
The ficht wes thair so fell and stout, That mony worthy men … Throu fors wes fellit c1420 Wynt. v 456.
Thare fechtyng stowt and hard he made c1420 Wynt.viii 3693.
That town Wyth stowt and manlyk assaylyng Thai tuk c1420 Wynt. viii 4966 (C).
He … withe the wachis sturdely Made apert and stout melle 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3241.
Sa thame betuix rais up ane bargane stout

b. Of an action more generally: Bold, courageous; fierce. ?1438 Alex. ii 8181.
Alexander … With gammin … playit Of the first avow … And of the tother, that stoutest [F. encore plus hardis] was [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2918.
And he requyrit thaim it to do, And thai maid stout answer him to And in-to sumpart bustuously And bad him go furth & stand by c1420 Wynt. v 2657.
And till hys sone the land lefft he, That worthyt off sa gret bownte, And off sa stowt and sturdy dede, That he come man in his yhowthede 1513 Doug. ix v 163.
Thy commancement and stowt begynnyng Is sa douchty [etc.] 1513 Doug. xii vi 105.
He … baldly The Grekis tentis tuk on hand to aspy Bot … Diomed … hes hym quyt his meid For sa stowt ondyrtakyn and hym slewch 1554 Misc. Bann. C. III 73.
Of thair stowt and notable operationis … we lat pas and referris ws till auld cronikis 1578 Acts III 100/2.
The faithfull and stuit defending of his Maiesties auctoritie c1650 Spalding I 226.
And to the King gois he, who … wes gratiouslie receaved, as he well deserved, for his stout service at the said Brig of Dee

5. Of the elements: Fierce, powerful, strong. b. Of noise: Loud, ferocious. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1731.
At the nycht the tempestis stout Dowbled and worthit ay more & more c1420 Wynt. ii 814.
[He] saylyd Affryk all abowt Drewyn wytht syndry stormys stoute 1513 Doug. v i 38.
We may nocht stryve … Agane the storm, bot stowtar is the blast 1513 Doug. xiii iv 65.
The bald flammys and brym blesys stowt a1550 Tayis Bank 119.
Quhair Tay ran doun with stremis stout Full strecht vnder Stobschawb. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 666.
Thus thai mellit and met with ane stout stewin a1500 Colk. Sow iii 114.
Cok Rusty … Dame Strange his wyfe quhilk had a stout stevin

6. Of a person: Physically strong or powerful.Some examples may belong in sense 1. c1475 Wall. xi 103.
Mawand thar was in till a medow fair lx stout carllis 1513 Doug. xii xiv 33.
Scarsly twys sax stowt walit men and wight, … hes sik mycht To charge it on thar schuldris 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. iii 94.
Duri, stout [1513 Doug. iii ii 54, down] 1639 Baillie I 212.
Our sojours were all lustie and full of courage the most of them stout young plewmen ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 48.
Geordie, mi formanne, inter stoutissimus omnes

b. Of a person in respect of his ability to do something: Strong, able. 1629 Haddington Mem. 157.
I vos never ane very stout ryder c1660 Sel. Biog. I 267.
The fresh water mariner is stout enough in fair weather 1662 Crim. Trials III 606.
The aucht spirit … is ane glaiked gowked spirit! The woman's [nikname] that he waitis on, is ‘Able and stowt!’

7. Of a thing: Strong, strongly made or built. b. Of a mountain: Imposing, formidable. a1500 Sir Eger 1581.
Their stiff swords both bein and stout a1500 K. Hart 959.
This brokin speir, sum tyme wes stiff and stout, To hir I leif 1513 Doug. ii viii 93.
Nowder closeris, nor barryt ȝettis stowt, Nor ȝit the keparis may hald thame langar owt 1513 Doug. vi ix 33.
A wondir large castell, strang and stowt 1513 Doug. ix iii 24.
Hattyr gestis stowt 1634 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 30.
A stout pair of breeckis 1698 Misc. Bann. C. II 365.
A stout Norroway skiftb. 1513 Doug. v xi 61.
Heir beyn the bredyrly boundis of Erix stowt

8. Of a supply: Substantial, abundant. a1500 Colk. Sow iii 121.
So stout a stoir come of thir brether twelf And thair sisteris I can nocht say my self The fyiftie pairte thay wer so fructeous

9. adv. a. Of a person in the sense of 1 above: Boldly, valiantly, proudly. b. In senses 5 and 5 b above: Strongly, fiercely.a. a1578 Pitsc. II 55/25.
I trast gif ȝe defend not Godis cause stoutar nor ȝe do and salve his servandis fre the daith so far as ȝe may [etc.] 15… James V in Misc. Spald. C. II 193.
And bher yow honesly and stoute a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xv 53.
No more I lout, Bot stands vp stout, As glade of hir for vhom I only greub. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 78.
Ane bright fyre couth he se Birnand full stout a1500 Colk. Sow i 208.
Than dyn rais and dirray Stok hornis blew stout