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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stent, v.¹ Also: stend, stint, stynt. P.p. also stent. [Late ME (once) stent (c1430); f. as Stent n.¹ Cf. Extend v. 1.]

1. To set up, put in position, pitch (a tent or pavilion). Also const. doun.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi 282.
His host all than arestit he, And gert ane tent soyne stentit be 1375 Barb. xix 386, etc. ?1438 Alex. i 3292.
The King gart our thame stentit be His pauilloun c1420 Wynt. ix 1041 (W).
Till hald a iusting Thare palȝeonis first suld stentit be, And thai suld hing thar scheildis … Off thare armes c1420 Wynt. viii 2496, etc. 1460 Hay Alex. 15313.
And efter that thai stentit hallis in hye And Antegone thai festit ryallie 1460 Hay Alex. 17244.
The king plantit about the toun And everie lord stentit his pavillioun 1496 Treas. Acc. I 294.
To the pynouris that stentit the kingis litil pailȝounis iij s. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 293. 1513 Doug. vii iii 24.
Hys first mansioun, … as it had bene Ane ost of tentis stentit on the grene 1535 Treas. Acc. VI 264. 1535 Stewart 7092.
Tha lichtit thair and stentit palȝeonis doun 15.. Clar. iv 2059.
Behold … besyde ȝow stent on height, The fairest pailȝeoun that ever I saw a1578 Pitsc. I 73/7.
The Inglischmen … had stentit thair pallieȝieouns wpoun the watter of Serke 1596 Dalr. II 97/12.
The Scotis king … stentis his palȝeouns and layis his camp at Lauder c1650 Spalding I 153.
Thay … stentit thair pavilionis vpon the said Tullohill, and restit thair all nicht(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 7446.
Thai stynt thare pavilȝonis Endland ane ryvare 1533 Boece 442b.
In ane plesing amene place beside Killos, he stintit palȝeouns(c) c1594 (16 … ) Battle of Balrinnis in Dalyell Sc. Poems 16th Cent. II 351.
Besyd that castell, on a croft, They stended pallionis ther

2. To put in place, extend, stretch out (a net, sail, rope, etc.). Also const. furth. Also, ? ellipt., to stretch (the sail of) a barge. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1608 (Ch.).
Thir cruell men, that stentit hes the net, In quhilk the lyoun suddandlie wes tane a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 95 (Asl.).
His skyn … gart ryf fra the body And on the sete … Gart stent it furth c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 236.
To scip thai went, And swyth up saile unto the top thai stent, And with swift course atour the flude thay frak 1513 Doug. iii iv 111.
The sowth wyndis stentis furth strait our schete 1513 Doug. iii viii 26.
Furth of his eft schip a bekyn gart he stent [L. dat clarum … signum] 1531 Bell. Boece I 210.
The Pichtis, in thair hunting, stentit strang nettis on lesuris and medois 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 105.
For xx faldom of cord to stent the cammes at the buttis a1586 Lindsay MS 9b.
Within the plaice [sc. the lists] thair salbe stentit tua cordis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Particata.
Of the vulgar people there is bot ane forme of metting vsed … to wit be rod and raip, that is to say … be ane string or coard, of sex elnes lang, stented betwixt twa staues 1608 Echt-Forbes Chart. 130.
It sall not be lesum … to stent net or netis be fassening of the samen on ilk syd of the watter 1624 Huntar Weights & Measures 13.
2 men shall carrie the saids staues, … hauing the said coard stretched and stented to the full length betweene them a1651 Calderwood II 365.
An ensigne was caried before her … stented betwixt two speeres 1664 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 573.? ellipt. 1589–90 Ayr Common Good Acc.
Twa carpollis cuttit to stent the gabar with quhen sche wes dreffan

b. specif. To spread out or stretch (cloth), in or as part of the manufacturing process; to shape (a garment) by stretching. 1507 Edinb. Hammermen (ed.) 41.
For … bukram to mak hois … For the … sewing of the hois … Item given … to Thomas Foular at the shaping of them & for the bordering of rowand about or thay were stentit 1525 Dundee B. Laws 545.
That nane of the said craft sall nocht stent nor draw na claithis that it may creip in agane be weting of it 1587 Acts III 508/1.
Furnessing of … the timmer and lomes quhairvpoun thai stent the said stuff [sc. cloth]

c. To hang, stretch or extend (curtains, drapes) about (a person, etc.). a1500 K. Hart 378.
The courtinis all of gold about the bed Weill stentit was quhair fair Dame Plesance lay 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 138.
Ane kow being callowing, ane pair of scheittis stentit about hir that scho sould not be sene and Elspeth Thomesone … being besyd hir, … ȝe was within the scheittis and luiking ouer her shoulder

d. To stretch, extend or raise vp (a weapon). 1513 Doug. xi xvi 58.
[She] The swyft gilt arow schuke owt of hir cace And … hir hornyt bow has bent, Quharin onon the takill vp is stent 1513 Doug. xii vi 164.
He … agane hys fa furthsprent With hys braid scheild or target evir vp stent

e. transf. To set up or put in position (a monument, ordinance, etc.). 1513 Doug. ix iv 120.
In my memor vp a tumbe to stent c1650 Spalding I 208.
Now, the Lord Oboyne cuming doun the Magrahill, … the Erll Marschall at Stanehevin had stentit his cartowis and ordinans just in thair faces

3. To put, extend or stretch (a person) (in or on an instrument of torture). Only Leg. S. b. To hang up or suspend (a person) as a punishment, also, on the Cross. c. reflex. To extend (oneself, one's body) in stirrups. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 155.
In a frame stent hyme [L. in equuleum distentum membris] In lynth & brede, lith & lyme, & that with smert cordis sa faste Til senonis ore hyd ma leste a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 316.
Adryane … soone [wes] tan & stentit out one a frame [L. A. portans sibi equuleum] a1400 Leg. S. xxxix 161.
The proconsul than that wes wrath Commaundit men to tak thame bath & in a frame stent [L. in equuleo suspendi] thame stratly a1400 Leg. S. xlviii 157.
A quhele than he gert sone dycht … & one hit gert hir be done & stent hir thar-one but hone Vith cordis stark one ilke syd, Til bath the flesch raf & the hydb. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 784.
Lord, my syn and thi gret lufe, I wis, Garis thé now ly stentit on the tre 1513 Doug. vi xii 42.
Tharfor thai suffir … By punytioun satisfactioun to mak. Sum stentit [L. suspensae] in wysnand wyndisc. reflex. ?1438 Alex. i 2650.
Courage him walknit and hardiment, In steropis stith he him stent

4. To stretch, keep in place, line or stiffen (cloth, a garment, etc.). Also const. on. Also absol.(1) 1501 Treas. Acc. II 26.
xx elne quhit trailȝe to be ruf and courtingis … xviij elne cammas to stent the samyn ruf, xviij s. 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 272.
Quhit ribanes to stent the said ruffis [sc. of cradles, beds, etc.] 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 68.
For cammes to be the uter half of ane doublet to the kingis grace, and cammes to stent the samin, vj s. 1566–7 Treas. Acc. XII 46.
xl elnis of cammes to lyne and stent thair dowblettis(b) 1488 Treas. Acc. I 139.
For thre elne of rownde braide clayth to stynt the … dowblatis 1549 Edinb. Hammermen 181b.
The expens maid on ij banars … for canwes to stynt thame with(2) 1504 Treas. Acc. II 293.
For lynyng clat[h] to stent the said cheseb on(3) absol. 1574 Treas. Acc. XIII 22.
Foure elnis and a half canves to stent betuix the buirdis and the velvot

5. To hang (windows, a place) with draperies, etc.(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 17452.
With claythis of gold thai stentit all the toun 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 279.
To stent the wyndois of the palace of Linlithgow … xxxvj elnis Bertane claith 1513 Doug. iv ix 67.
The place with flowris and garlandis stentis the queyn 15.. Clar. iv 2598.
Scho enterit in the toun right royallie, Quhilke stentit was with royall tapestrie 15.. Clar. v 124.
The galleireis about the fresch gardingis Wer stentit all with rich apperrellingis(b) 15.. Clar. v 2781.
Stintit

6. a. Of branches, etc.: To spread over, fill (a place). b. To fill (a place) (with branches, etc.). Only in Doug.a. 1513 Doug. ix vii 31.
The wod was large, and rowch of buskis ronk, And of the blak ayk schaddowis dym and donk, Of breris ful, and thyk thorn ronnys stentb. 1513 Doug. xi ii 22.
Syk tumbys as for ded corps efferis With greyn burgionys and branschys … Thai gan ourheld, and stentys [Ruddim. styntis] euery deill

7. Of land: To extend, march upon, adjoin. a1700 Haigs of Bemersyde 476.
Wher ther lands stents upon my lands on that syd of the loch it is visiabbly merched with ston