Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
‡PANT, n.1 The mouth of a public well, cistern, fountain, the well itself, usu. a town-well covered with a stone or metal erection (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., 1942 Zai; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Bwk, s.Sc. 1965). Also pant-well, -wall, id. (Ib.). Also in n.Eng. dial.Slk. 1715 T. Craig-Brown Hist. Slk. (1886) II. 90:
Subscriptions towards a pant or trough at the Cross well.Dmf.
1788
Weekly Jnl. (23 Sept.):
Last week two women (Sisters), who have been for many years separated, and each totally ignorant of the other's situation or residence, accidentally met at a Pant in Newcastle, far from the place of their birth.s.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
Pant-well. A well that is covered or built up. Some of this description were arched, as the old Pant-well at Selkirk.Rxb. 1857 A. Jeffrey Hist. Rxb. II. 112:
Water was brought from a well in Tudhopepath to a pant erected for its reception at the cross.Rxb. 1857 Ib. III. 12:
A huge and unseemly pantwell, surmounted by a lamp, stood in one corner.Rxb. 1913 Kelso Chron. (21 Feb.) 4:
I've read yon Jamie Dickson chiel Wi' some auld pant-well played the deil Syne tae the polis showed clean heel In holy fear.
