A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1460, 1513-1535
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Maument, n. Also: maw-, malment, mawmont, mamant, maunmente, mawnment. [Late ME. and e.m.E. mawment (1460), mamnet, mament, ME. maument (14th c.), mamenet, momenet (1340), altered var. of Maumet n.]The form maun-, mawnment might equally be read maum-, mawmnent, but is perh. merely miswritten for maum-, mawmment.
A false god or, chiefly, its image; an idol.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 290.
Al tha that mad sacrifice Til mawmentis a1400 Ib. viii. 28.
Sa that ȝe wil … ger ȝour maumentis brokine be a1400 Ib. x. 213, xxvi. 256, xxviii. 247; etc. c1420 Wynt. v. 669 (W).
Deuillis that in mawmentis [v.rr. idolis, ydolys] ware c1420 Wynt. v. 2016.
Thir mawmentys off the folk ar noucht Bot gold and sylvyr made throuch man c1420 Ib. 2559.
[To] mak sacrifyis Till fals mawmentys c1420 Ib. 64, 2703, 3012, vii. 3162; etc. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 424.
All thir goddis and mawmentis was bot deuilrie c1515 Asloan MS I. 208/7.
Eduerd Langschankis … was dissauit throw a mawment that spak till him in a ryng 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 153.
Lat Virgill hald hys mawmentis to him self 1513 Ib. xii. v. 175.
Latinus … tursyt with hym away Hys goddis and hys mawmontis c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. vi. 9.
Men that seruis to malmentis 1533 Boece vi. iii. 191 b.
Mony volumys contrare the infidelis and aganis thare ydolatrie mawmentis & native goddis 1535 Stewart 3348.
Mamantis … Of Phebus, Diane and of Apollo(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints viii. ii.
Of Marte the maunmente a1400 Ib. ix. 227.
For thu [sc. the devil within the idol] did the apostilis bydynge Quhene thu brak thine awne mawnment a1400 Ib. vi. 645, x. 298.
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"Maument n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/maument>
