Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MUNT, v., n.¹ Sc. forms and usages of Eng. mount (Slg. 1788 R. Galloway Poems 19, Ags. 1833 J. S. Sands Poems 125). [mʌnt]

I. v. 1. Phrs.: (1) sorra munt ye, an imprecation = Devil take you! (Bnff., Abd. (Boddam) 1963). See Sorra; (2) to munt up til one's legs, to get to one's feet.(2) Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 18:
He pech't an' he gruntit As at lang length he muntit Up til his legs an' shauchel't awa' back.

2. To make ready for departure, to prepare to set off (Sc. 1825 Jam.); to depart. to be up and away.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 74, 139:
I plays my part an' lets them win awa'; I mounts an' wi' them aff what we cud ca'. . . . All home they mount, an' led a blythsome life, Happy as yet were ever man an' wife.Mry. 1949 Northern Scot (30 April):
A boddie wad think that wi' Mairch by, the win' Wad lang syne hae munted.

3. With up; to pick up, to lift.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 57:
Poor Bydby was na lang ere she came back. Mounts up the coat ere ye a nut wad crack, An' to the road again wi' a' her pith.

4. Of a person: to provide with equipment, to set up, furnish; to clothe, dress. Vbl.n. muntin, equipment, gear, dress, esp. the personal possessions which a bride takes to her new home when married, a trousseau (Ayr., Gall. 1903 E.D.D.; Per., Ayr. 1915–23 Wilson; w.Lth., Kcb., Slk. 1963); ppl.adj. muntit, as in full-muntit, weel-, well-dressed, jocularly (Ayr., Rxb. 1963).Ayr. 1744 Sc. Journal (1848) I. 334:
The Count that was waird out at her mounting and Wading.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 79:
The old woman bestowed a vast of presents on Tom, and mounted him like a gentleman.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 45:
O' muntin' I hae plenty o't, O' claes I am na scant.Clc. 1885 Poets Clc. (Beveridge) 124:
As soon as she gets through her thrang In gettin' a' her muntin' gathered.Abd.⁴ 1928:
The m'untin' maks the man.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
I'll be munted noo, efter gettin a' that.Kcd. 1958, obsol.:
She was muntit in her new bonnet.

5. To adorn, to trim, to bedeck; to put the finishing touches on a garment, e.g. by hand on machine-made articles (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen.(exc.I.)Sc. Vbl.n. muntin, trimmings, decoration (Per., Ayr. 1915–23 Wilson; Dmf. c.1920), a decorative fringe; hand-made button-holes, etc. (Rxb. 1963); a bundle of finished hosiery work (Watson).Sc. 1700 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 308:
For mounting to the drummers cloaths whilks were furnished in October, June and August last.Gall. 1735 Session Bk. Minnigaff (1939) 209:
To a new velvet mothcloath [sic] viz. the fringe lining and silk and thread for munting of it.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 126:
Caps munted wi' flowers and feathers.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
Fa sud hin'er Samie to hae the pipes a' fine muntit wi' red an' blue ribbons.ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 38:
Claid was he in honest hodden, Made and mounted by a tailyour.

6. To walk with a springy affected gait (Cai.⁹ 1939). Ppl.adj. munting (Id.).

II. n. Fittings, decoration, esp. of metal-work on wood, mounting (Ags., Per., Ayr., Kcb. 1963).m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 75:
Whether it [the coffin] had bress munts or nane ava, I hae aye ettled to dae my best for the corp.