arch. [A prep.1 on, in + LAND. The full on lande, on þam lande, and the intermed. o þe lande, o lande also occur.]
† 1. Position: In the land, in the country. Obs.
c. 1150. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Þa was corn dære … for nan ne wæs o þe land.
1297. R. Glouc., 389. And destrude al þat lond, þat no gode alonde nas.
a. 1400. Octouian, 1628. The Kyng of Masydonye com ryde With hys ost alond.
1568. in Bannat. MS., in Gilchrist’s Scot. Bal., II. 104. Iok tuk Jynny be the hand … And made a brydell up alland.
1879. Jamieson, Scot. Dict., Up-a-land, at a distance from the sea; in the country.
2. On the dry land (in opposition to the water or sea); ashore. ? Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 165. He deð al þat his wil is, a wettre and alonde.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVI. 189. Alle þat lyf hath A-londe & a-watre.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., 159. Two shippes … in the water were likewise burnt, besides other three yt were a land.
1608. Shaks., Per., II. i. 31. I marvel how the fishes live in the sea … Why, as men do a-land.
1697. Dryden, Virgil (1806), II. 213. And in mid ocean left them moor’d a-land.
1809. J. Barlow, Columb., V. 815. Howe leads aland the interminable train, While his bold brother still bestorms the main.
3. Motion: To the land or shore, ashore.
c. 1300. St. Brand., 114. A lute havene he fonde tho, Alond hi wende there.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 57. They hadde not sette foot a lande.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 8. Ariadne … [was] so sore sea-sick … he was forced to put her aland.
1675. Hobbes, Odyss., 91. Vulcan is now at Lemnos gone a land.
1805. Southey, Madoc in Azt., xxv. Wks. V. 368. Could they but aland Set foot.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 50. A well-hooped cask our shipmen brought aland.
