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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Punct, Punt, n.¹ Also: puncte, pwnct, punte, puntte, pwnt; ponct, pont; pwnyt; pount, pounct(t; Punk. [ME and e.m.E. punct dot, measure of time (1398), moment (1561), also pont detail (c1400), med. L. (Eng.) punctus and punctum, L. punctum a point: see Point n.¹] A point, in various senses.Common only in sense 2 where it corresponds to usage in Latin documents, but uncommon in the other senses of Point n.¹

1. A dot or speck.

a. As a decoration on a garment. b. As a punctuation mark. = Point n.¹ 1 a. c. In musical notation. = Point n.¹ 1 b, q.v.a. 1516 Inv. Wardrobe 24.
Ane saferon with punctis of gold with lxi perle of crammasy velvotb. c1616 Hume Orthog. 34.
The round punct concludes an assertion … The tailed punct concludes an interrogationc. c1550-c1580 Art of Music 11b.
And with pwnctis within cirkillis or semecirkillis imprentit Ib. 20b.
That quahan a pwnyt is put eftir ane long, it is indicat to be of perfectione, and gif it be eftir ane mynnym, it is of division Ib. 21.
Off divisioun quhow is the pwnct knawin? It is the pwnyt quhen it is put to the noit befoir or behind that nother to the noit nor fra the noit dois tak nor gif Ib. 20b.
Pwnt

2. A separate item or article; a particular; a detail. = Point n.¹ 2.In all punctis, in every particular, in all respects.(1) (a) 1490 Irland Mir. 356a in G. G. Smith Specimens of Middle Scots (1902) 95/25.
sing. And to the thrid punct [etc.] 1496 Acta Conc. II 9.
The lordis herefore contynewis this punct of the summondis to [etc.] 1497–8 Ib. 129.
[Gif] thar men servandis … brekis ony punct before writin 1498 Ib. 220.
That thai ansuere punct be punct apone al punctis contenit in the sade act 1513 Acts II 282/1.
Thai culd nocht consent to gif consell to enerve nor violate the said confederacioun in ony punct 1515 Douglas Corr. 69.
Nedfull it is, and that is a speciall punct of ȝour memoryall, to caus the kyng [sc. Henry] wryte ta the Kyng of Frans heyre apone 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I 211.
That the said Robert denyit that thai had brokin ony punct contenit in the said decrete 1531 Ib. II 53.
Als oft as thai brek ony punct of the said act 1533 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 400.
And the punct is rycht periculous to thaim for and thai excede thar boundis in thar executioun [etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 382.
Gif the samin manifestlie be razit in the dait, or ony uther substancial punctpl. 1427 Indenture Crown Office Writs No. 40 (Reg. H.).
And til al thir pvnctis & condiconis beforesaid bathe the partyis handis ar vphaldyn 1460 Ayr B. Ct. 3 April.
And her for the sayd Marion … was owrtane & filit be ane grete assis of all the said puncteis 1478 Reg. Cupar A. I 209.
To kepe al the punctis he has suorn a sollemne ath 1492 Reg. Episc. Morav. 245. 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 46.
To preiff sufficiently the punctis contenit in the sadis summondis 1499 Exch. R. XI 393 heading.
The punctis to be inquirit at the inqueist 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 386.
For the wrangus spoliatioun … of yowis and weddris … and for certane utheris punctis 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 285/1.
Dischargeing his ballies … of rasing of ony unlawis thairof for the punctis of his forest courtis 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 181. 1533–4 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 106.
The quhilk day the assis accusit of the generale punctis of the hed curt conform to act 1546 Blackfriars Perth 214.
To preive the punctis of the letres 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 80. c1575 Balfour Pract. 172.(b) 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 173.
And at al thir pwntis forsade be lelaly and treuly kepit 1484 Misc. Spald. C. II 255.
With all vthir puntis contenit in band of manrent c1500 Halyb. xxiii.
To schaw the verite … a pon all puntis at I knaw in thir materis 1507–8 Rec. Earld. Orkney 80. 1528 Douglas Corr. 345.
For the observing of every puntte desirit be the said erle in this said writting a1538 Abell 111b.
Thai martirit him renowand all the puntis of owr saluitoris passion 1536 St. P. Henry VIII IV iv 667 in Robertson Concilia Sc. I cxxxvii.
This was the pwntis of the kyngis charg and command 1559 Inverness Rec. I 37.
The forsaidis personis … nayt the puntis of the forsaid precep 1560–1 St. A. Kirk S. 66.
Wytnessis examinated upon the puntis of the libellat summondis of Aleson Calland 1563–4 Reg. Privy C. I 263. 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 240.
And sua contrary to his fyrst deposicion in twa puntis, to wyt [etc.] 1689 Cullen B. Rec. 48b (5 Feb.).
Consenting thir punts be registrated in the books of … session [etc.](c) c1420 Ratis R. 213.
Gif thow thir sex pontis seis 1489–90 Acta Aud. 142/1.
And othir ponctis contenit tharintill 1498 Aberd. Pynours 57.
Quha brekis this statut or ony pont contenit in it 1536 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 20.
Quhair it [the contract] falis in ony pont 1556 Prestwick B. Rec. 63.
The inquest absolfis Adame Myllar of al ponttis contenyt in this wryt … excep [etc.] 1593 Innes Review III 102.
In quhilk heid being soundit letlie be his majestie I answerit to it I hed doin in that pont(d) 1505 Chart. Coupar A. II 116.
The quhilkis pounctis and conditionys abuff writin nocht bein kepit 1533 Boyd Fam. P. No. 9 (3 Jan.).
That this my present obligatioun and all the pouncts thairof be inserit in the officialis buks of Glasgw 1555 Lochwinnoch Par. 54.
Conform to the tennour of the said registrat contract, in that pounctt(2) 1422 Stirlings of Keir 209 (see Article n. 1). 1465–6 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 391.
In all and sendry punctis articylis and circumstans in forme ande effyit 1512 Grey Friars II 31.
In all punctis and effect contenit in the samyn 1518 Chart. Coupar A. II 118.
Pontis 1551–2 Perth Guildry MS 280 (15 Jan.).
Quhilkis actis Patrik Adamson den of gild … hes … approvit in all punctis 1564–5 Rec. Earld. Orkney 121.(3) 1490 Irland Mir. I 116/2.
Dame Cherite, in all punctis conformand hire to hire best luffit scistir 1526 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1906) 43. 1566 Canongate Kirk S. (ed.) 43.
Sum of the baillies … confessis thame … to have don partle punischment … bot thay could nocht in all pounttis be ressone that [etc.] 1619 Laing MSS I 154.
I sall fullfill unto your lordship in all pountis(4) 1550 Perth Guildry MS 268 (30 May).
And will nocht refus his craft nor na punct thairof 1595 Conv. Burghs I 468.
And mony vther pountis of thair craft(5) 1498 Acta Conc. II 205.
Apone certane punctis of errour contenit in the sammyn [summons] 1512 Crim. Trials I i 80.
The tym of the takin or apprehending of tham, salbe na punct of dittay(6) 1557–8 Inverness Rec. I 18.
Ane aquavitte pot and ane caldron pertening to the said Fynla as ane punt of heretage 1561 Ib. 68.
The proffeitt … of his puntis of heretage, viz., his horse [etc.]

b. A feature, aspect, instance, mark or characteristic (of something.) = Point n.¹ 2 c. a1500 Henr. Fab. 712 (Bann.).
Quod the wolf, ‘thow wantis pontis twa, Belangand to perfyt confessioun’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlv 17.
It is ane pount of ignorance To lufe in sic distemperance 1513 Doug. Comm. i v 28.
Considdir gif this be punctis of traison, or rathar of honour

3. a. ? A point in space, a specific place. 1588 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 128.
The vattir was helpabill at this punct to be pot be laboris ane oder way

b. In heraldry: Hede punct: see Point n.¹ 3 b.

c. A moment in time, an instant; a moment of decision or crisis; the moment (of some event, as death). = Point n.¹ 5 a-c.In ane punt, in an instant, instantly. 1513 Doug. xii xiii 29.
For now is cum the extreme lattir punct. Thou mycht quhil now haue catchit at disiunct The silly Troianys a1538 Abell 50b.
Thai leid thare life in corporall plesance & in ane punt thai pas to the hell 1629 Maxwell Mem. II 202.
And my … dochtir at the punt of daithe

d. A critical situation, a crisis; critical condition, extremity. = Point n.¹ 5, 6. 1513 Doug. iii iv 138.
Our falloschip excers palestral play … Nakyt wreslyng and struglyng at nyce punte [: envnte; v.rr. poynt : anoynt] 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 53.
And I promis yow … geif it cumis to ony punct of scharpnes your grace sall fynd me the samyn 1559 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 64.
Quhow all affairis standis with me, quhilkis ar at syk punt … that [etc.]

4. At ane gud punt, in good condition, in good fettle. = Point n.¹ 6. c1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 436.
Your broder hes him recommendyt unto yow for he is at ane gud punt

5. In punct, on the point, in imminent danger (of some undesirable fate). = Point n.¹ 8.Cf. med. L. (Brit.) in puncto, -u, id. 1497 Acta Conc. II 88.
Throw the quhilk the wynes and uther gudis ar in punct of tinsale 1513–14 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 9.
The saidis merchandis gudis being in thar schippis in greit punct of tynsell in rotting a1538 Abell 4b.
At Babilon wes in punt of tynsall Ib. 25a.
Thai slew sa mony of the Romanis that the laif wes in pont of fleing

6. ? A certain conclusion to which an argument is directed, a ‘point’ being made; or ? 3 c or 3 d. 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 74.
Your grace knaws quhat pount I am at and alswa sall clerlie onderstand that I haiff maid na faill