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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rod, n.² Also: rodd(e; rode, road, rood. [ME and e.m.E. rodde (a1250), rodd (Gower), OE rodd. Cf. ON rudda a club, Norw. dial. rudda a switch, rodda a stake set upright to hang things on.]

1. A shaft of metal, slender in proportion to its length, but sufficient to support or suspend a substantial weight; a bar; a rod; a slender column. b. specif. A curtain rod. c. specif. In a gaol: An iron bar to which prisoners were shackled. 1494 Edinb. Hammermen 6.
For makin of the rod to the hers 1509–10 Ib. 68.
For wyr to the fessinyng of the hammeris & the crovnis & the rod & triangulis, ij s. 1516 Ib. 92.
For iiij li. of irne … ekit to the greit rod 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 312.
For twa roddis to the chandelaris 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 376.
To … [the] smyth for making kipperis vyce naillis and rodis for the forsaid kist 1623 Ib. II 151.
For ane knit irne rod of tuelf futtes of lenth for my Lord Chancellaris dask Ib. 154.
For … taillit bandis ane rod ane stepill and ane ey to [a] … folding boorde 1672 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 27 July.
For dressing rodeis & woomelis 1675 Stirling Common Good 93b.
Mead irone work in chimlayes, cleicks and rods 1676 Glasgow B. Rec. III 224.
Stones in the said Hie Kirk yaird sua heighted with rodis or ballasters beneth them 1676 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 12 Feb.
For goeing to Edinburgh … for the boring rodsb. 1494 Edinb. Hammermen 7.
For … red leid to cullour the rod of irne & the candill beraris at the alter the curtyn beraris viij d. 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 276.
For x dosan ringis and thre rodis of irn for courtingis in the princes chamer 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 100.
Ane stand bed of Estland burd with rodis and rynnaris 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 368.
Thrie rodes with ane wyce on the end of them for the kingis chalmber windowes for hingingis 1649 Edinb. Test. LXIV 271b.
Certane rods hinging about the hall 1658 Boyd Fam. P. No. 236 (27 Feb.).
Ane yron rod for hingeris c1686 Depred. Clan Campbell 52.
4 feather beds, with their whole furniture of curtains, sheets, … palnes, rods [etc.] 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 161.
Green drogit hingings with gild rods 1697 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 168.
The rods of the bed(b) 1656–8 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 503.
For four bed roodis to Mr. George Sinclaris bed and eight stepillis, 4 l.c. 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 116.
Yrnes, lokis, schaiklis, … rodis, keyes, … belonging to the office of javeloury 1591–3 Sc. N. & Q. IX 117.
Ane lang rod of irne with ten schakillis of irne, for keiping of prisoneris, price xxx lib.

2. A stick, switch, or bundle of twigs tied together, employed as an instrument of chastisement. 1567 G. Ball. 209.
Christ … rent was on the rude with roddis 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx 17.
To se the saikles puneist sa with roddis 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 210.
For suffering of him selff to be markit be the dewill with ane rod a1599 Rollock Wks. I 409. 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 433.
They … scourged him with rodds 1663 Lamont Diary 164.
He … did weipe hir with his rodde

b. transf. or fig. Punishment; chastisement; stern discipline. c. A particular instance of this.b. 1562 Knox IV 161.
Negligence … was not the leaste cause of God's rodds light [1561 layd] upon us a1570-86 Maitl. F. 419/8.
Thois That restis on Him reiosing in his rod 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xviii.
So should kirk-pastors now ding it with the discipline rod 1658 Dumfries Kirk S. 23 Sept.
The not profiting wnder the Gospell, the rod, & other dispensatiouns of his mercy 1669 Kennedy-Lauderdale Lett. 78.
And his subjects heare the voice of the rod and who hath appointed it(b) c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 16.
He acted … more be … rebukes then be the rodec. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 33/20.
Why may not God vse anie kinde of extraordinarie punishment … as well as the ordinarie roddes of … aduersities

d. Beating rod, a beater used in processing yarn. 1701 New Mills Manuf. 269.
For 100 beating roads

3. A staff or stick carried as a walking stick, as a means of controlling a flock, etc. 1513 Doug. v iv 94.
With lang bolmys of tre … and scharp roddis [they] Inforcis of to schowyn the schyp to save 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 15/37.
Moyses rod 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 469.
A rod he bears by which he … Lenthes and abridges life as he desires 1629 Boyd Last B. 454.
Let mee giue him a girke with my rodde 1670 Kingarth Par. Rec. 63.
That Gilnow did strick the said Patrick with his fist and the rode

b. Also, carried as a symbol of office or authority.See also Quhite adj. 1 f.(a) 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 230.
He could not officiat in any holy duty without this rod in his hand(b) 1681 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. VII 169.
The Gentleman Usher, with a white rode in his hand, is to ride aside, bareheaded

c. fig. or transf. Authority; control; power.To rewle the rod, see Reul(e v. 4 (2). c1500 Rowll Cursing 6 (M).
And now of Rome that beiris the rode … to lous and bind 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3546.
Thow will not keip gude reull nor rod [: tod, God]

4. a. A stick, six ells in length, used for taking measurements. b. A measure of length (= 6 ells). 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Particata.
Ane rod, ane raip, ane lineal fall of measure are all ane, … for ilk ane of them conteinis sex elnes in length, albeit ane rod is ane staffe or gade of tymmer quhairwith land is measured [etc.] Ib.
Bot of the vulgar people there is bot ane forme of metting vsed and vnderstand, to wit, be rod and raip a1652 Dickson Psalms II 165.
As a piece of land measured out by line or rod

5. A measure of area. = Rud(e n.¹ 8. 1511 Prestwick B. Rec. 42.
Tua rod of mos, lyand in the he mos of Prestwik Ib. 1653 Retours I Inq. Spec. Kirkcudbright (260).
The lands called the Tolseylands … extending to 30 aikers and 3 rods of land 1691 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 218.
[Resolved that] a rod & ane half of ground be feued from the Laird of Balfour

6. attrib. with leg, ? in sense 3 above. 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 68.
Als mekle as ane mige amaist, He had ane littill rod leg