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: 1523-1608
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Blank, n. Also: blanke, blanck, blaynk, blenk. [In sense 1, ME. and e.m.E. blank, OF. blanc. In sense 2 , e.m.E. blanke (1586). Cf. the adj .]
1. A French coin, orig. of silver, latterly of copper. 1523 Acts Lords of Council (MS) XXXIV. 19.
The greit blank of Fraunce to have passage out throw all the partis of this realm … the greite blank … for vi d. Scottis money, the half blank for iii d.
2. A document with blank spaces; a blank form. 1546 Acts II. 472/1.
The said remissioun, blank, & obligatioun 1561 Montgomery Mem. 161.
Sicklyk xx blanck wryttingis subscryvit … be the said Erle … five blanckis … and four blanckis 1572 Acts III. 75/2.
Sum vtheris hes … contrafatit gifts and prouisiounis of benefices with antedaittis or blankis 1594 Acts IV. 57/1.
Thai producit aucht blankis in paper … Quhilkis blankis hes na designatioun on the bak 1603 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 46.
The saidis pairteis obleissis thame to convene … at the Cheppil of Gareoche, thair to subscryue ane designit blaynk to the effect foirsaid 1608 Grant Chart. 205.
This blenk within subscryveit is … ordanit be thir presentis to be fillit with ane decreit arbitrall be honorabill men
3. A blank space in a document, etc. c 1575 Satirical Poems xlv. 1104.
I sall leave blankis for to imbrew [= imbreve] thame 1583 Montgomery Mem. 224.
That the heale blankes contenit in the said contract be fulfillit befoir the said Robert delyver the samen
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"Blank n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/blank_n>
