A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1560
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Basinet, Basnet, n. Also: basynet, bassinet, -ynet(t, -ynat, -enet(t, -anat, bascinet; basnete, basnat, -ot, baisnet. [ME. basi-, basenet, baci-, bacenet, basnet (c 1300), OF. bassinet, bacinet, med. L. basi-, bacinetum. A dim. of OF. bacin basin.] A small light helmet or headpiece of steel.(a) 1375 Barb. viii. 225 (E).
Thar bassynettis [C. basnetis] burnyst all (brycht), Agayne the son glemand off lycht 1375 Ib. xii. 21 (E).
On his bassynet [C. basnet] he bar An hat off tyre aboune ay quhar c1420 Wynt. ii. 50.
Scho gert plat on hyr hys basynet [C. basnet], Wytht othire armys gud and fyne c1420 Ib. viii. 2527.
On bassynettis [C. bassynatis] thare burnysyd brycht Men mycht se polaxys lycht 1456 Hay I. 161/14.
A pure creature that … can nocht bouche on bassinet, na leg harnais, brassere na curas 1491 Acts II. 226/1.
That ilke gentilman … be sufficiently harnest & anarmit, with bassanat, sellat, quhyte hat, gorgeat [etc.] 1532 Treasurer's Accounts VI. 73.
To lyne the kingis hewmont and bascinet vj quarteris crammasy satyng(b) c1420 Wynt. iv. 728.
On basnetys, schynand brycht, Men mycht se pollaxis lycht 1425 Acts II. 10/2.
That ilk gentilman be … anarmyt with basnete, haile legharnes [etc.] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 51.
Ane othir he straik on a basnat of steille c1475 Ib. iv. 466.
The burnyst blaid throu his basnett went a1500 Golagros and Gawane 601.
His birny and his basnet, burnished ful bene 1491 Acts Lords of Council 195/2.
Thre basnatis, price of the pece xiij s. iiij d. 1508 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 121.
To Will Raa, cultellar, for … ane bar for ane basnet 1513 Doug. xii. viii. 114.
This speir … Of hys basnet the tymbrell quyte doun bair 1532 Treasurer's Accounts VI. 73.
Deliverit to the Franche armourar to lyne the Kingis hewmont and basnet vj quarteris crammasy satyng 1535 Stewart 11938.
Thair waponis … So blunt thai war on basnet wald nocht byte 1535 Ib. 19518.
With basnot cleir as ony cristell stone c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1077.
Scho gaif him hir richt hand gluif, The quhilk he on his basnet bure 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 297/9.
Quhill hors and man baith at the basnet bleidis
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"Basinet n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/basinet>
