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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Platform(e, -furme, n. (also attrib. and a.) Also: platt-, plate-, plait-, plet(t)-. [e.m.E. platforme, platte forme n. a plan, scheme (1550), a geometric figure (1551), a level place for mounting guns (1560), a plane surface (1574), F. plateforme (15th c. in Godef.), f. plat Plat a. and forme Forme n., Furme n.Written either as one or two words.]

I. 1. a. attrib. Platform ruf, = c below. b. adj. Of a roof: Flat.a. 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 58.
The sparris wrocht in garronis and ribbis to the plateforme and ledyn ruyff Ib. 59.
The plaitforme and ledyn ruyff Ib. 64.
To viii werkmen this haill oulk lyftand the grete plaitform ruyf and wynnand the samen to the house heid 1532 Ib. 74.
[1216 stones of lead] to the completing of the platform ruf and tua vest roundis [of Falkland] 1535–6 Ib. 189.
The plat forme ruiff 1538 Ib. 224.
The plet forme ruif 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 234.
The chops [are] to be covered with ane platforme lead roof bot [are not to be] … highted any farder then [etc.]b. 1632 Lithgow Trav. v. 208 (OED.).
The tectures of her houses … being platforme

c. A flat roof; also, a partially flat roof serving as a walk on top of a building. 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 58.
For gestis to the plateforme xxiiii grete gestis for gesting of the body of the new werk [of Holyrood] 1532 Ib. 80. 1600 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 734.
For … ane platt forme to the commoun bell that may mak hir to be easey rung 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 341.
The said Thomas sall big ane vther passage to go out of the tolbuith to the battelling and heid of the hous … with ane hewin doir on the heid of the said passage to enter in to the platforme 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 65. 1626–7 Ib. 201.
To James Colquhoune for ane kaik of lead … for helping and mantelling the tua plattfurmes of the great hall of Stirling 1633 Ib. 383.
Platfurme 1639 Ib. 425.
The leid plettforme 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 263.
The plettfurme of the tolbooth 1661 Lamont Diary 139.
The roofe being a plait-forme 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 264.
The platforme of the parliament houss is not clean and tight 1679 Craven Ch. in Orkney 80.
To cause sufficiently mend the stone warks of the steeple under the platform that it may be … able to uphold any sort of pyramide that may be built upon it 1684 Thanes of Cawdor 369.
Platefurme

2. a. In sing. without article: A raised level stage (appar. usually of wooden construction) for mounting artillery upon. b. With article or in plur.: Id.a. 1547 Treas. Acc. IX. 103.
Thir bottis to be platforme to the said artalȝere j^c dalis 1548 Ib. 196.
Furnisit to my lorde of Methwen … certane dalis and sparris to be platforme to the monitioun 1566 Ib. XI. 519, 1571 Ib. XII. 288.b. 1550–1 Treas. Acc. IX. 476.
For daillis, rauchteris, sparris and uthir tymmer to be plattformes [in two warships] 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 360.
To mak plat formes, pawesis [etc.] Ib. 403. 1568–9 Treas. Acc. XII. 148.
To Harie Balfour, maister gunnar, … in mending of the platformes of the said castell with symont, rosat, brinstane 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 75.
To aucht pynouris … for careing up of thrie pece of ordinance to the hie platforme 1618 Ib. 119.
For schip plankis to be tua plattfurmes for the battries 1640 Dumbarton B. Rec. 60. 1696 Irving Dumbartonsh. App. I. 105.
One the rampeir on gun carying a bullet of 1 pund 5 ounces uithout either cariedge or plateforme

c. A raised stage, stand or walk of timber; a wooden platform.Or the 1580–1 quot. may belong in b. 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 268.
The expensis maid upone the platt forme above the revestrie Ib. 269.
To [four men named] … for making of this platt furme, ane dayis wage and ane half Ib.
vj daills to the said platt furme 1580–1 Reg. Privy C. III. 364.
The haill tymmer of the bak platfurme and bartesing [of Blackness Castle]

II. 3. a. A scheme or arrangement for government, administration or the conduct of an affair, meeting etc.; a prescribed or set procedure or form of words. 1589 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 490.
Therby choosing … to hunt after some new meanis of ther owen invention, to patche wp ane dowbtfull new plateforme in hope of ther owen better standing c1630 Scot Narr. 42.
They send some to the regent … to informe him of their proceedings and diligence, but he was not weell pleased with their platforme Ib. 122. 1639 Ellon Presb. 147.
[Every presbytery] to have ane platforme of querreis to be presented to the nixt provinciall 1639 Declamatour Pretended Bishops Refuted 14.
They then drew up a plate-forme of policie near to the English 1651 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 24.
The minister being posit according to the platform used at visitations 1653 Binning Wks. 59.
Stupid forms of prayer and tying yourselves to a platform written in a book or to some certain words gotten by the heart a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 228.
That the church in the apostles dayes was not so compleatly constitute in respect of the kind of officers as afterwards: which is altogether inconsistent with that perfect plat-form of the church in the primitiue apostolick times 1661 Wodrow Hist. (1828) I. 124. 1671 Edinb. Surgeons II. 68.
Ordains ane platforme of ane oath to be made and insert in their records 1675 Aberd. Council Lett. V. 443. 1675 Conv. Burghs III. 643.
The convention … ordaines the plett forme of comissions sett doun at Glasgow to be extracted and ilk burgh to have ane extract thereof 1676 Ib. 663.
To establish and sett ane plett form of government … which shall be most agreeable to the lawes of the kingdom 1676 Aberd. Council Lett. VI. 58. 1682 Cloud of Witnesses 162.
Now much more shall they erre where its left to their own wisdom having no plat form to walk by 1699 Forrester Bishops Claim ii. 24. 1701 Conv. Burghs IV. 314.

b. ? A ground for taking legal or similar action against a person. 1685 Fountainhall Decis. I. 371.
This lays also a plat-form against Doctor Sibbald and Hugh Brown, who had also revolted