Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1715, 1768-1955
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TOWMOND, n. Also towman (ne.Sc. 1773 Weekly Mag. (25 Feb.) 274, -mon, touman, -mon(d); towmont(h); tomond (Lnk. 1808 W. Watson Poems (1877) 18), tomen (t), toman (Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 56), tomonth (Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 55); twomond (Uls. 1844 R. Huddleston Poems 15), twomont (Rnf. 1791 A. Wilson Poems (1844) 85). [′tʌumən(d), ′to-, -mənθ]
1. A twelvemonth, a year, the period of a year (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also used coll., attrib., and adv. Obs. exc. liter. Hence towmond auld, -all, to(w)montal(l), -ell, -ill, tomminaul, tomerall, adj., twelve months old, used subst. a yearling cow, steer or colt (Ayr. 1808 Jam., towmontell, 1825 Jam., towmondall, tomminaul); “a two-year old horse” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 450, tomerall), which is appar. due to a misconception.Sc. 1715 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 67:
Till this Time Toumond I'se indent Our Claiths of Dirt will sa'r.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 22:
She'll be mair stivage, heary, trust ye me, Gin she a toment yet be latten be.Ayr. 1785 Burns Cotter's Sat. Night xi.:
The frugal wifie garrulous will tell How 'twas a towmond auld.Lnk. 1793 D. Ure Hist. Rutherglen 51:
The colts, when a year old, are called Tomontals, a provincial contraction for twelve-month-old.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 10:
She skits and flings like ony towmont filly.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 186:
For mony lang towmond thegither.Mry. 1824 J. Cock Hamespun Lays 103:
This toumans twa, I wat, I'll min?Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxvii.:
I haena been in Aiberdeen this three towmons.Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 171:
And I o' towmonds five times three My prime o' life enjoyed on Dee.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 19:
The weakest's doots were tided ower Anither towmont.Ags. 1932 A. Gray Arrows 67:
I'll be hame within the towmond.Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 38:
The lass I ha'e lo'ed for a towmond an' mair.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick ii.:
'E sic lammie 'at deet a towmon seen come Cannlemass.
2. A sheep or wether in its second year (Rxb. 1801 J. Leyden Complaynt 328, 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1972), phs. partly confused with Dinmont.
[O.Sc. tholmont, 1431, towmound, 1596, = 1., Mid.Eng. towlmonyth, O.N. tólfmánuðr, a twelvemonth. The spelling two- may however be directly from or assimilated to Mid.Eng. twel(f)month, O.E. twelf monað, id.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Towmond n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/towmond>
