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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Stint, Stynt(e, v. Also: stent, styntyng, stynten. P.t. stint, stynt(e, stent, stant, stintit, -ed, styntit, -yt, stentit. P.p. styntit, stint-, stented. [ME and e.m.E. stinntenn (Orm), stint (Cursor M.), stynt (Manning), stunt (Piers Plowman), stente (Chaucer), stinte (1387-8), p.t. stunt (Ancr. R.), stent, stint (both Cursor M.), stynt (Manning), stintid (c1400), stynted (1518), stinted (1579-80), p.p. stint (Cursor M.), stinted (Lydgate), stynted (c1450), OE styntan (once) to blunt, dull, commoner in compounds, OScand. *stynta (MSw. stynta, OIcel. stytta) to shorten.]

1. intr. To leave off, cease (doing); to desist. Const. of and to do (something). Also without const.pres. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 350.
Thu wald nocht of foly stynt a1400 Leg. S. xxxv 78.
Quhy has thu done sa gret myse … & ȝet of syne wil nocht stynte? c1420 Wynt. vii 3454.
Off my purpos I will noucht stynt a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 863.
Of this stonay and stour I rede that ye stynt c1475 Wall. v 157.
Butler for woo off wepyng mycht nocht stynt c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlvi 29.
‘O, merle,’ quod scho, ‘O fule, stynt of thy taill’(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 480.
To faynd tham neuir I stynt, That ioy to gere thame tyne That I ame falline fra 1513 Doug. i iv 59.
He … al the rangald persewis … And styntis not with dartis thame to bete 1531 Bell. Boece I xiii.
Quhat nobill men and ladyis hes bene tint … To schaw at lenth, my toung suld nevir stint c1568 Lauder Minor P. v 2.
The butterflie … to flie scho dois nocht stint Unto the candle a1574 Three Reformers 14.
Dogges that never stintes to bark a1585 Maitl. Q. 203/66.
Stint in tyme to spill thy self but plaint(3) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 117.
Quhen I wepe, and stynten othir quhile, For pacience … Than all my wrath and rancoure I exile a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 767.
Thair with the stalwartis in stour can stotin and stynt a1500 Henr. Orph. 179.
Seke hir suth I sall, And nouthir stynt nor stand for stok no stone c1475 Wall. xi 628.
Quhen twa was ded the tothir wald nocht stynt 1513 Doug. i iv 53.
Tharat he styntis, and hynt his bow in hand 1513 Doug. iii v 41.
Oft wald scho clepe and call, and oneth stynt, Apon the sawlis that onbodeit war 1513 Doug. viii v 16.
The menstralis, … To syng and play with soundis as afferis … Assemblit ar ful swyth, and wald nocht stynt a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 349 (W).
Quhillis minting, quhillis stinting, My purpose changit oft a1605 Montg. Devot. P. iii 18.
To stryve with sin, and nevir stint 1622 D. Lindesey Heavenly Chariot 19.
Naaman the Syrian … will not stint till he goe thitherp.t. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 386.
In hys armys sone hyre hynt, For to kyse hyr he nocht stynt c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 35.
Quhen thai this song had song a lytill thrawe, Thai stent a quhile

b. In the formulaic phrase or (ever) he (etc.) (wald) stint, before stopping, before he (etc.) was satisfied or reached a conclusion.Common in Leg. S.pres. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 200.
Thane he hyre kissit & hyre hynt & blyssit hyre or he wald stynt ?1438 Alex. ii 1264.
With his neiffis he him hint Full sturdely or he wald stynt c1475 Wall. iv 318.
The tothir four in handis sone war hynt, Derfly to dede stekit or thai wald stynt 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1753.
I promisit hir, forsuith, or scho wald stint, The buik ressauand, thairon my cure to preif 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 94.
Or evir I stynt thow sall haif straikis thy fill c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2370.
Thay ryn, quhen thay haif jowellis tynte To seik Sanct Syith, or euer thay stynte(b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1060.
Fro scho was tayn, or he wold stent, To Kyng Agamenone 1513 Doug. viii iv 124.
From the rutis he it [sc. the rock] lowsyt and rent, And tumlyt dovn fra thyne, or he wald stent 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4626.
For I will rin incontinent To the taverne or evir I stentp.t. a1400 Leg. S. v 246.
And he tald thane, or euir he stynte, Of paradyse the ioy parfyt a1400 Leg. S. xvi 744.
His wyfe than & his sone he hynt, & rowit to the schipe, or thai stint ?1438 Alex. ii 126.
Than he fell and his fute can hint, And wald haue kissit it or he stint 1460 Hay Alex. 1854.
And to the feild armit or euir he stint, He prikit furth ane hunder knychtis in rout a1500 Henr. Fab. 2079.
The fraudfull foxe … with his teith the stoppell or he stint, Pullit out 1535 Stewart 7164.
The flainnis flew lyke fyre out of the flynt, Throw all thair stuffe drew blude or euer tha stint(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 46.
The king gart cry ane semble or he stent 1513 Doug. xi x 43.
Suffir me to assay With my retenew … The first danger in batale, or I stent

2. Of a process, condition, natural agency: To abate, come to an end. a1400 Leg. S. xvi 562.
Thane the storme be-gane to stynt c1475 Wall. ix 239.
All thus stentis our stryff 1651 Comm. Gen. Assembly III 469.
Neither hes their rage stinted here

3. To cease moving, come (abruptly) to a halt. Also (once) const. of.(1) pres. a1400 Leg. S. v 444.
Thane he, that fled fyrste, can stynt a1500 Rauf C. 700.
As he gat ben throw He gat mony greit schow Bot he was stalwart … And laith for to stynt a1500 Henr. Fab. 564 (Bann.).
Turne agane, and say, that I and ȝe Freindis ar … Than will thaj stynt, I stand for it, and nocht steir 1513 Doug. vi v 75.
Anchises son tho styntis a litil stownd, And baith his futsteppis fixit in the grond 1513 Doug. vii vii 94.
Turnus awondryng styntis and drawis abakp.t. (1) ?1438 Alex. ii 9744.
Emynedus stakerit and stynt(2) c1500 Fyve Bestes 249.
Fast throw the tovne he raid … Quhill at ane stone he styntit with sic fors That to the erd ȝeid baith man & hors 1513 Doug. iii ix 19.
At the first sicht he styntit and stude aw, … Bot sone eftyr cummys rynnyng in a rays Down to the schoir 1533 Boece 384b.
Quhen thai aduertit how Scottis movit nocht, thai stintit as men expert in practik of were and in myd feild hoverit(2) 1531 Bell. Boece II 423.
Als sone as the Inglismen wer cumin to this hill, thay stintit of thair fleing

b. Of (a blow from) a sharp-edged or pointed weapon: To be checked or repelled by armour, etc. Also in fig. context. 1375 Barb. xiii 154.
Sa gret dyn thar wes of dyntis As wapnys apon armur styntis ?1438 Alex. ii 9869.
Stryking with suordis bare, And axes and knyues … That styntit on the staluart steill ?1438 Alex. ii 10039.
Sa hard the steill on helmys styntis That fyre and low flew fra thare dyntis 1513 Doug. ii ix 64.
The ald … A dart dyd cast, quhilk … gan stynt On his harnes and in the scheild dyd hyng 1535 Stewart 13550.
Tha blaidis brycht so bitterlie did byte, … Tha stentit neuir quhill thai come to the heftfig. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1255.
[Death's] straik it is sa sharpe it will not stint

4. tr. To cause (a person) to desist or cease from action. 1375 Barb. vi 178.
I herd neuir in na tyme gane Ane stynt sa mony hym allane 1375 Barb. iii 52.
He … styntyt swagat the chassaris That nane durst owt off batall chas ?1438 Alex. i 2294.
The best hindmaist ay abaid To stint thair fais that formest raid 1513 Doug. xiii iii 107.
Quhou oft … I assayt thé to withdraw from fycht … Bot all for nocht; no thyng mycht styntyng thé

5. To discontinue (an action); restrain (an organ of speech). 1513 Doug. xii xii 5.
Ene … Styntis all the wark that he begunnyn had, And hoppit vp for ioy 1513 Doug. xiii v 19.
Bot fra Dawnus the corps of hys son deir Beheld, he gan stynt and arrest hys pais 1533 Boece 260b.
Britouns stynting the flicht abiecting armoure … humelie to inemyis become randerit 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 74.
Peace, peace, (quod Ressoune), stint thy tounge

6. To cause to cease, put a stop to (an event or state of affairs). 1375 Barb. xii 223.
And quhen it cummys to the fycht Ilk man set hart, will & mycht, To stynt our fayis mekill prid c1420 Wynt. v 3220.
Nane lefft, that evyr wytht strenthe off hand Mycht … stynt thare fayis mycht 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 261.
O, quhat avalit thi brute and gloryus name … To stynt al thing salue thine awyn appetite 1513 Doug. xi vi 155.
The Grekis conquyst lang tyme, trastis me, By thame was styntit 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 219.
The witches did say Now is the charme stinted and shewed that those charmed pinnes were the cause he could not confesse any thing 1635 Dickson Wr. 94.
The apostle brings out this doctrine of election and reprobation, when filthy errors are risen in the kirk, that he may stint the defection of those who are not fallen

b. To stop (a blow, etc.), to prevent ((the effect of) an impact). 1375 Barb. xii 54.
Nouthir had no helme mycht stynt The hevy dusche that he him gaf 1375 Barb. xvii 697.
It [sc. the sow], that wes the … starkast for till stynt a strak, In-swndir with that dusche he brak ?1438 Alex. ii 10258.
Bot the helme the straik can stynt Ȝit hors and he ȝeid doun bedene c1420 Wynt. viii 2056.
Thare wes na strenth, hys strak mycht stynt c1475 Wall. vi 567.
Quham euir thai hyt, na harnes mycht thaim stynt 1513 Doug. ix xi 93.
Ane … speir … Quham nowder scheld of twa bull hydis thik, Nor ȝit the dowbill malyt traste hawbrik … mycht it resist nor stynt 1513 Doug. xi xiii 53.
Liris, … Furth straucht his febill arm to stynt his fall 1611-57 Mure Spirituall Hymne 75.
I sing my mediator's praise … Who angel's fall did stint

c. To resist the impact of (a sword). 1460 Hay Alex. 1876.
His brand was charmit with inchantment That thair was neuir armour that mycht it stent

7. To cause (a person, animal or thing) to stop, to bring to a halt. 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 63.
The stonyt hors … takis the flyght, Na brydill may hym dant nor bustuus dynt, Nowthir bra, hie roch, nor brayd fludis stynt 1513 Doug. xii vi 114.
[He] Gan stynt hys horssis and his quhirland char 1533 Bell. Livy I 238/27.
The consul, seand the place vnganand for batall, styntit his army

8. To restrict, limit (a person or thing) to (something). Also (once) const. that clause, and without const.(1) 1628 Pastor and Prelate 56.
He [the prelate] raketh up all, and stinteth the minister to a poor stipendearie portion of five hundreth merks 1652 Dumfries Kirk S. 16 Dec.
And there whole number is stinted to twentie foure persones and no moe a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 47.
Why are your visits stinted to such a time more then another? a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 170.
We cannot stint a Sabbath dayes journey to so many miles a1658 Durham Clavis Cantici 58.
Her thoughts of Christ were not limited, or stinted to her words, or her speaking of Him 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xv § 6 (1699) 214.
The justice court has its macers in which they are not stented to a particular number 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 322.
It were presumption for us to stint them to our rules of prudence(2) 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 383.
The forms of it though politically they are not stinted, that people should have such a form and not another; yet [etc.](3) a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 144.
This command [sc. Sabbath observance] is moral, not as to the setting a part of time for duty … but of so much time particularly stinted and defined in the command

b. Of a piece of land: To have its boundary, to terminate (at a specified place). 1717 Lanark B. Rec. 296.
From the head of the said avenew … stinting at the brew of the hill

9. To limit (a person) in some respect, to deprive (partially) of (something). 1678 Wodrow Hist. II (1829) 411.
The indulged ministers must be stinted of their liberty

10. intr. Of a thing: To be in short supply, to be restricted (to someone). 1535 Stewart 32070.
Thair wes no wyn quhairof that tha had want, No ȝit na coursis that tyme to thame stant