Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Avantage, n. Also: awantage, -eg; av-, awawntage; evantage. [ME. avantage (1330), avauntage, OF. avantage. Cf. Advantage n.]

1. Advantage; occasion or opportunity for personal success or profit; a place of advantage.1375 Barb. vi. 21 (he had nocht sa smertly seyn his avantage); 352 (all avantagis that may be). c1420 Wynt. ii. 203 (all hys awantage and his gre); iv. 1564 (Scipio thoucht awantage yhit to wyne); viii. 5379 (had he noucht foundyn … ane awawntage, he had bene dede). 1456 Hay I. 57/10 (mycht nane ken quha had ony avantage); 150/31 (as he seis his awantage). 1467 Reg. Dunferm. 359 (thare nettis, schot at his avauntage quhen thai lykis). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 195/25 (apperance of ony awantage). 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 218 (sum awanteg mycht be gottin). 1563 Davidson Answer 185 (for his awin avantage). 1597 Conv. Burghs II. 14 (with litill awantage to his maiestie).

2. At avantage, in a position of superiority; so that one has the upper hand. Also at his (etc.) avantage.(1) 1375 Barb. xi. 288 (we sall be at avantage thair). 1513 Doug. xii. xi. 112 (thou walkis at avantage on the void grene). 1531 Bell. Boece II. 132 (to take thair nichtbouris at avantage).(2) 1375 Barb. vi. 66 (sua that we sall ay at our avantage be). 1456 Hay I. 223/5 (sa is every man at his avantage); II. 152/29 (quhare thou may get him at thine avantage). 1588 Waus Corr. II. 419 (ye wilbe at your avantage).

3. An additional sum. (F. avantage.) 1558 Acts II. 505/1.
Certane dowery to be gevin to oure souerane lady with the evantage Ib.
To brouke and jois hir dowerye and avantage