Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Compt, n.¹ Also: compte, comptt, conpt; comp, comt. [ME. (c 1400) and OF. compte, respelling (after L. computum) of conte Cont n. See also Coumpt, Count.]

1. A monetary account; a statement of receipts, payments, costs, etc.; a reckoning. 1472 Lennox Mun. 85.
The soume of ane hundreth pundis … bot ony compt or recknyn 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I. i.
Compt of … Johnne bischope of Glasgow, Thesaurare to oure Souerane Lord … of all his ressatis and expensis made in the saide office Ib.
The hering and ressaving of the said compt a1500 Bk. Chess 1956.
So at his compt it be nocht said at he Suld be a theif 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. 136.
The nychtbouris has chosyne thir persounis to be auditouris of the comp of the commone gud 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 107.
I wald nocht tak fra him na brokin compt bot as your memoriale buyr 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 662/2.
Quhilk soume he wes superexspendit in his last compt 1563 Reg. Cupar A. II. 274.
The compt of Alexander Wischert … giffin wp and maid to Sir Johne Wischert 1595–6 Misc. Spald. C. V. 62.
To mak my expensis … as the particular compt beris 1618 Montgomery Mem. 283.
Provyding alwayes gif any misrekning or wrang compt beis fundin … the samyn to be reformit and mendit 1630 Kirkcaldy Presb. 6.
[The] minister of Kinglessie gave in his compt of expens … upon the reparation of his mans 1681 Irvine Mun. II. 284.
I … grantes me to have recived … satisfactione of the forsaid compt of therritie and tuo pound

b. pl. Usually denoting accounts kept or presented by a treasurer or other official, and freq. with his or ȝour.Auditouris of comptis: see Auditour 1 b. 1415 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 36.
The quhilk teind penny we will be allowit to ȝow in ȝour comptis 1450 Exch. R. V. 425.
Schewing the said Patrikis letterez of ressaitt upon yhoure comptis 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. 135.
[The] auditouris chosyne be the commonite to her the balȝes comptis of twa ȝeris bigane 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 492/1.
Command … to the auditouris of the chekker to defeis thame therof in thare comtis 1529 Ib. 593/2.
George Scott, abbreviatour of our souerane lordis comptis of househald 1554 Peebles B. Rec. I. 411.
For paper and ink to wreat your compts with 1565 Ib. 300.
Thair comptis beand laid as affeiris 1586 Conv. Burghs I. 228.
At the fute of thair comptis to be maid of his Hienes customes of the ȝeiris begane 1601 St. A. Baxter Bks. 65.
Eftir Iames Alexander, last positour, hed gewin in his conptis 1614 Crim. Trials III. 297.
To mak and perfyte his comptis of the restis, whilkis he was awand to his fader 1632 Peebles Gleanings 127.
For paper and ink to the wryting of the compts sen my entrie 1646 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 63.
[The] thesaurar to advance moneyes … quhilk they declair sall be allowit to him at the making of his compts

c. A list, register, or inventory. 1482 Reg. Morton II. 244.
Full compt … of all maner … guddis of archipe 1491 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 258.
His full compt … bath of properteis and accidentis pertening to tham 1538 Treas. Acc. VI. 414.
The compt of the bowlattis of irne, and the cawmis 1582 Grant Chart. 156.
The comptt off the insycht geir … xx pair blankaittis [etc.] 1676 Cunningham Diary 77.
My compt of lace working as follows: A bitt narrow lace [etc.]

2. Without article: Account or formal statement of expenditure, etc. a. In to mak (also gif) compt (and rekkening). 1474 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 32.
The alderman, … to mak compt therof at the ische of his aldermanschip 1482 Acta Aud. 97/1.
Of the quhilk sovme the saide Robert … has made compt and payment in oure souerane lordis chekker rolle 1483 Acta Conc. II. Introd. 124.
Walter sall gif lele compt and rekning … of the some of lij li. … of blak mone 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 258/1.
Thai makand compt to the thesaurare for the proffitis of the sammyn [landis] 1520 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 198.
To mak compt and reknyng of the ane half of the said vnlaw to the kirk werk 1562 Inverness B. Rec. I. 78.
To heir and se compt giffin and maid of the saidis James Cuthbertis legasie and testament 1583 St. A. Baxter Bks. 31.
That ilk furnisar of all baikhousis be haldin to mak iust compt, rekning, and pament to the dakin [etc.] 1621 Red Bk. Menteith II. 320.
The escheatis … to oure vse to imbring, and compt thairof in oure exchekker to mak 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II. ii.
To call and persew the shireffis … for making compt, rekoning and payment to yow of the samyn

b. In other contexts or phrases. To gude compt, to the full amount. 1488 Prestwick B. Rec. 327.
He acht him xv merkis of mone with the mare till gud compt 1491 Acta Conc. 176/2.
The copy … extract be the hand of schir Henry Alane, clerk of compt for the tyme 1511–2 Treas. Acc. IV. 273.
Send to schir James Pettigrew … for him and his servitouris to gud compt 1562 Treas. Acc. in Knox II. 596.
To David Ritio, Italiane, … as his aquittance schawin vpoun compt beris 1570 Leslie 157.
Quhilk wes the caus that thair wes … also gude compt and payment maid yeirly to the Kingis comptroller 1588 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
To answer to us upon compt quhen we sall requeir him thairto 1628 Edinb. Test. LIV. 250 b.
Soumes of money … adettit to me … athir be band, word, wryte or compt 1678 Melville Chart. 179.
An actione of compte and reckoning … against them

3. In figurative uses; esp. to give (mak, render) compt, to render an account (of one's actions, etc.).(1) 1456 Hay I. 243/33. Ib. 297/30.
He … aw to geve compt to the hiest juge of thair allaris mysdedes Ib. II. 14/34.
Off the quhilkes thai mon ȝelde a strayte compt a day c1460 Consail Wys Man 435.
Haf mynd … How thow mone gyf compt of all Thi dedis heir c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix. 34.
Remember thow hes compt to mak Off all thi tyme thow spendit heir c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4997.
The … extreme iugement generall, Quhare thow man rander compt of all 1562-3 Winȝet I. 53/31.
Sen all men suld be reddy to geve compt of that faith and hoip in him 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. ii.
To cause thayme to geif compt of it that thay reid in the classe 1587-99 Hume 4/33.
Let such women remember that a day they shall appeare & giue a compt before the judgement seat of Christ(2) 1456 Hay II. 95/33.
Thare mon be anys a day of compt and rekyning c1500-c1512 Dunb. lviii. 30.
Quha maist hes than sall maist repent, With largest compt to pairt amang thame 1533 Bell. Livy II. 146/12.
Quhat and the public weil call him to ane compt? 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 99.
I haue laid my compt … Lat thaim reply, gif ather thai can or dar a1578 Pitsc. II. 257/3.
Quhen thay had layd thair comptis at this tyme, thair was no adwantage nather of the syddes 1609 Craig iii. 21.
Come what can come, his compts are cast, he cares not

4. Consideration, regard; care. 1456 Hay I. 134/1.
Becaus that kingis and princis makis na compt of this mater 1528 Lynd. Dreme 208.
Thir catyuis tuke no compt of thair awin curis c1536 Id. Compl. Bagsche 153.
I tuke na mair compt of ane Lord Nor I did of ane keiching knaif 1649 Peebles B. Rec. 387.
Teaching … them to wryte, giveing them coppies and takeing compt of their wryteing

5. Number; reckoning by numbers. c1550 Rolland C. Venus Prol. 10.
Quhilkis [qualities] ar thir four in compt; first phlegmatike [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5312.
So, be this compt, it may be kend, The warld is drawand neir ane end 1622-6 Bisset I. 215/32.
Be the auld style and compt of the ȝeir of God in this realme

6. Attrib. with bill, gevar, hous, takking. 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 174.
To my lord elimosinar … deliverit to him … by the comptgewar 1515 Ib. V. 26; etc.
Deliverit … in the compt giffaris names to Alexander Chalmour 1529 Dundee B. Laws 510.
Aye and quhill … he faill in his writingis in onye pount of thair compt takking 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 49.
For ane bott of irne … to the compt hous durre 1552 Ib. X. 70.
To the Quenis tailȝeour … conforme to his compt byll