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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Date, Dait, n.¹ Also: dat, datt(e; dayt(e, daite, daitt, daet; det(e, deat(t, deit(t. [ME. date, OF. date, datte, L. data fem. sing. of datus given.]

1. The date of a document, letter, or other writing. Sometimes coupled with day.(a) c 1400 Newbattle Chart. (Reg. H.).
The dat, day … and place in the furst lyne contenet 1438 Lennox Mun. 68.
The fest of Wytsonday next eftyr the dat off this present 1450 Col. Aberd. & B. 428.
At the fest of Witsonday next effter the datt of thir present letteris 1491 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 327.
At the Martimes … foluand the dat of thir presents(b) 1445 Misc. Spald. C. V. 283.
This to be done betwix the date of thir present letters, and the feste of Saint Martyn in wynter 1462 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 371.
On to the [term] of Wytsonday cum twa ȝeris next folowande the date … of ye makyng of thir presentis 1496 Acta Conc. II. 3.
Ane letter of tak … of the date of the xxv day of Februare in the yere of God jm iijc sevinti and ane yeiris 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 244/2.
That all and sindry actiounis … ceis and rest fra the day of the date hereof(c) 1478 Peebles B. Rec. 183.
Fra this dayt qwhyll the next Witsonday 1483 Acta Aud. *122/1.
Becaus the dait of the contract … was befor the cours of ony blac mone 1507 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 706.
The dayt of the makyne of thir presentis 1519 Fife Sheriff Ct. 147.
Thre termes malis last immediate bipast before daite of this writt 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 26.
Quhilk entre salbe at the day of the dait of thir present letres 1556 St. A. Baxter Bks. 7.
For the space of xii zeris following the dayt heirof a1578 Pitsc. I. 1/10.
Sen the said day … wnto this day and dait heireftir following Ib. 283 marg.
The daitt of the same battell 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 147.
Ane act … of the dait the thrid day of Junij last bypast 1615 Grant Chart. 314.
Be act of Counsell of the daite the tuenty tua day of Iulii 1652 Wemyss Chart. 240.
Alexander Leslie, … filler vp of the blankis, dait, and witnes naimes 1689 Melville Corr. 139.
To acquaint you of the receat of yours of the daite this day senight(d) 1537 Glasgow Prot. IV. 103.
At the Mertymas … presedand the daet of thir presentis 1672 Highland P. I. 256.
The daet foresaed of the saed decreet of adjudication(e) 1564 Grant Chart. 129.
All ȝeris and termis preceding the det heirof 1568 Buch. Indict. 49.
Becaus the lettre is without a deit 1579 Liber Melros 653.
The said Williamis entres to begin at the day and deitt of thir presentis 1581 Digest Justiciary Proc. K. 15.
Within the space of xv dayis nixt efter the deat heirof 1597 Grant Chart. 191.
All … actionis … preceideing the deat heirof 1643 St. A. Presb. 9.
The act made … of the deatt March 24, 1641 1681 Fraser P. 260.
Inserter of the … yeare of God, deat and witnesses

b. Time in terms of (numbered) years; reckoning by years. c1420 Wynt. i. 112.
Haldand tyme be tyme the date, As cronyklerys before me wrate Ib. iii. 990, etc.
Before the tyme the Romanys ras, That date in tyll all landys was 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 160.
The plakkis … bering … the dait of the yeir of God 1557

2. The time at or during which a person, etc., lived or flourished, or at which an event took place. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 687.
I ne can fynd Of hyme the dat in-to the buk c1420 Wynt. ii. 1065.
Gyff I dyde as other wrate, In this plas I suld set thaire date Ib. iv. 1151. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 329/26.
I tuk on me bot to schaw sum notables & petegres with daitis of thir vj agis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 32.
Gif evir my fortoun wes to be a freir, The dait thairof is past full mony a ȝeir a1586 Maitland Geneal. Seytoun 3.
The dait of thair rignes contemporand with the historie following

3. A definite point or limit of time. a1400 Leg. S. xl. 609.
The tyme … That he of this lyf suld pas Of parfit dat & rype elde c1450-2 Howlat 445.
Quhen the dait of his deid derfly him dowit a1500 Henr. III. 157/49.
O febill aige, ay drawand neir the dait Of dully deid a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1235.
Thai ar but dait or distans endurand c1500-c1512 Dunb. xi. 22 (M).
Sen thow knawis the tyme is schort And in all hour thi dait [B. lyfe] in weir is a1568 Bann. MS. 49 a/29.
Salamone … cowld nocht for him self dispone Attour his dait, to leif a ȝeir

4. A period of time; duration of existence or of life. c1420 Wynt. v. 399.
Thare … his lywe Twenty yhere he led, and fywe, And dayis awcht, till hald the date 1456 Hay I. 195/23.
Men of age passit date of lx ȝere c1450-2 Howlat 425.
Thar lois and thar lordschipe of sa lang dait a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1228.
The date na langar may endure na Drightin deuinis a1500 Doug. K. Hart 6.
Thir folk … For favour nor for feid wald found him fro Vnto the tyme thair dait be run and past 1535 Stewart 1702.
Tha thocht his dait wes ouir lang to indure; And he war deid [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 490.
Ilk ane thay tuke ane diuers dait, And promeist … Mair large nor thay wald do 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 72.
Reclaim my daithe, off lyiff prolong my daitt 1622-6 Bisset II. 96/10.
Eftir the barnis exceid the dait of fourtene ȝeiris

5. ? A decree, decision. [med. L. datum.] c1475 Wall. ii. 195.
Is this thy dait, sall thai our cum ilkane? On our kynrent, deyr God, quhen will thow rew?