Sc. Now chiefly Hist. Forms: 6, 8–9 soume, 6–8 sowm(e; 7 summe, 8 soom, 8– soum. [app. the same as soum SUM sb. Hence Gael. suim in sense 2.]
1. The amount of pasturage that will support one cow or a proportional number of sheep or other stock.
1500. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 542/1. Concessit … pratum vulgariter nuncupatum le Grymys Medow, cum communi pastura unius equi et 4 de le sowmoys [sic] in dicta villa. Ibid. (1524), 222/2. Vendiderunt 2 acras terrarum cum tofta et crofta,… cum 6 le sowmys in pastura.
1606. Sc. Acts, Jas. VI. (1816), IV. 285/2. Extending in the haill to sextene sowmes for the said four akeris.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scotl. (1818), II. 57. If the tenant is to hire his grazing in the hills, he takes it by soumes.
1754. Erskine, Princ. Sc. Law (1809), 57. A glebe, which comprehends four acres of arable land, or sixteen sowms of pasture ground.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 72. Moors and sheep-walks are more frequently rented by the soum, than by the acre.
2. The number of sheep or cattle that can be maintained on a certain amount of pasture. A soum of sheep, a number varying in different places from four to ten.
1508. in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, I. 58*. Of shutting up her ‘gudis’—viz. sixty-five ‘soumes’ furth of her said third part.
1594. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 34, note. Pasturage of 20 sowmes yeild-guidis, profits of each sowm 20s. Ibid. (1610), 202/2. Togidder with the pasture of sax sowmes of nolt … upoun the ground of my landis of Grenelaw.
1700. Minutes Baron Crt. Stitchill (S.H.S.), 146. Wher any possessed but one Soum in the Mayns that Soum shall absolutely be a Kow or Oxe and not a sheip.
a. 1724. in Ramsay’s Tea-t. Misc. (1729), 17. A Kilnfu’ of Corn I’ll gi’e to thee, Three Soums of Sheep, twa good Milk Ky.
1794. Statist. Acc. Scotl., XII. 396. A privilege of pasturage for 72 soums of sheep upon the common, 5 sheep being reckoned to a soum.
1884. Reg. Crofters’ Commission, App. A. 468. In Lews and Harris … a man is entitled to send so many soums to the grazings of his townland.
b. In the phr. soum’s (or soums’) grass.
1574. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., V. 12/1. Cum pastura 6 animalium lie sex sowmes gers.
1582. Cal. Laing Charters (1899), 259. The saidis millaris multraris hes and certaine land of ws for his soumis girse.
1610. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 114/1. Cum pasturagio unius summe lie sowmes-gras.
1621. Sc. Acts, Jas. VI. (1816), IV. 612/2. Act declairing summes Grasse … to be teyndfrie.
1793. Statist. Acc. Scotl., VIII. 104. The glebe … is supposed to be legal as to extent, with 4 soums grass, in common with the cattle of the farm.
