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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Daynté, Danté, Dainté, n. Also: dayntee, dantee, -tie, daintie, denté, dyntie. [ME. daynté, deynté, deinté (a 1225), OF. dainté, deintié, etc., L. dignitāt-.]

1. Estimation, esteem, regard, favour, affection. Esp. to have, hald, resave … in daynté.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 163.
The Bruce … resawyt him in gret daynte Ib. iii. 505.
All the lordis … kyssyt him in gret daynte Ib. xvi. 673.
The king … held him in suylk daynte, That ‘his awne bischop’ him callit he a1400 Leg. S. xiii.² 27.
Thai ewangelis thai kepe in daynte Ib. xvi. 23.
We fynd … ful mony that synful were, That thu had eftyre in daynte c1420 Wynt. ii. 325.
Thare he become the Kyngys man, That helde hym in tyll gret daynte Ib. ix. 54.
Off his chawmyr ane wes he That wes had in grete daynte c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 376.
Ȝing lusty gallandis, That I held more in daynte 1513 Doug. xi. i. 55.
Quhilk only honour is haldyn in daynte At Acheron 1533 Boece v. i. 162 b.
Harlots … quham he held in daynte, & estemit mekill(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 626.
Tho he of the warld dede be, God hyme has in mare dante 1375 Barb. xx. 289 (C).
Dowglas His hert … Has resauit in gret dantee a1500 Seven S. 1892.
In dante held he hir [the pyot] for thi 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 18.
A fyr wod, the quhilk into dante Full mony ȝeris held I Ib. xiii. vii. 79.
I thé ressaue, and haldis in dante, As son in law(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 458.
Thir damysellis, for derne dotit lufe, That dogonis haldis in dainte 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxvii.
Small and deligat quhitis, … haldin in gret daintie to marchandis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3635.
The Empreour … thame held in sic eis and daintie, That he culd not weill want thair companie

2. Delight, pleasure, joy. 1375 Barb. xii. 159 (E).
Than all pressyt in to gret daynte The erle off Murreff for to se Ib. xvi. 529.
Thair namys … That men till her yeit has daynte a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 839.
Dacyane made Of George offerand to God, that hade Thar-of daynte c1420 Wynt. i. 1308.
As the makarys had daynte Off thai bestys and delyt c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 413.
Adew, dolour, adew! my daynte [M. dente] now begynis

b. Elegance, refinement (in food). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 57 (M).
Fresche fragrant claretis … With mony ane cours of grit daynte [B. dyntie]

3. A choice viand or dish; a delicacy.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 466.
The flesche, that ve fed here Maste vantonly in daynttis sere c1420 Wynt. i. 440.
Tyll ete fleyhs … Rostyt, sodyn, or in paste As thaim thoucht best and daynte mast a1500 Henr. Fab. 242.
Heuilie scho kest hir browis doun, For all the daynteis that scho culd hir bring c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvii. 12.
Thairfoir I pray ȝow, bredir deir, Not to delyt in daynteis seir(b) a1500 Seven S. 1544.
Syne with danteis ynewe … [thai] Servit baith the burd and hall a1500 Prestis Peblis 12.
Thir thre thai maid gud chere; To tham thar was na danteis thaim to deir 1513 Doug. iii. v. 140.
The mesis and the danteis thyk dyd stand Ib. vi. ix. 153.
All danteys langand tyl a kingis fest 1535 Stewart 16866.
With wyne at welth and danteis that war deir Thar wantit nocht that langit to gude cheir a1540 Freiris Berw. 445 (M).
I marvale meikle … ȝe so suddanlie Hes brocht ws heir sa mony danteis [B. denteis] seyr

4. A pleasing or attractive thing. 1535 Stewart 12332.
With mony perle … , And diamantis deir, mony dantie of delyte Ib. 16882.
With dansing, singing, and all danteis deir a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxv. 77.
A ladye bricht, plesand in bed, … Ane daintie day and nicht 1643 Baillie II. 108.
The house is all well hung, and hes a good fyre, which is some dainties at London