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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quantité, Quantitie, n. Also: -itee, -ity, -yte(e, -ytie, qwantyté, -itie, quhantitie, quhaintaté, quante-, quantaté, -tie. [ME (Cursor M.) and e.m.E. quantite, e.m.E. quantitie, -ity, F. quantité (12th c.), L. quantitāt-.] Quantity, magnitude, in various specific applications.

1. Size, dimensions. Of anything, including the stature of a person or animal, of a definite three dimensional size.(1) 1375 Barb. xvii 618 (E).
The fagaldis weill mycht mesuryt be Till a gret townys quantite c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 4278.
And quhan King Dare had sene his quantetie Sa litill of stature and of mak was he 1490 Irland Mir. MS fol. 237b.
The man … takis augmentacioune quhil he cum to perfit quantite and age c1515 Asl. MS I 311/23.
To tell the quantite thiknes and hicht of this towre 1513 Doug. Comm. i i 82.
Be raison of ther contegwyte and quantitie convenient bein thai clepit sistyr and brothir 1531 Bell. Boece I 287.
Fynmakcoule, … richt terribill, for his huge quantite 1535 Stewart 3030.
Thair language and [thair leid] The quantitie and fassoun of thair weid 1560 Inverness Rec. I 46.
To sell … barnis schone efter the quantite of thair schow 1567 Acts III 39/2 marg.
And referris the quantitie of the wecht to the lordis of articulis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Schireff.
The measure and quantitie of the cruves & ȝaires 1599 Acts IV 181/1.
[Young wildfowl which] for quantitie can nawyis be ane greit refreschment(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xviii 28.
And be I grit of quantetie, Thay call me monstrowis of nature 1513 Doug. iii ix 99. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2090.
Moist lyke his father of figoure, Off quantite, and portratoure 15.. Clar. iii 1169.(3) ?1438 Alex. i 676.
He was man of grete quantatie 1456 Hay II 118/25.
Quhen a persone is of small and ligny quantitee and sclender 1457 Acts II 47/1.
Gudis of litill quantite quhilk thaj bring on thair hedis 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 178.
A myl hous … of sic quantite and sufficiens at our tenandis gudis … haf rovm to be fairly … kepit c1500 Crying of Play 153. 1508 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 118. 1513 Doug. v vii 110. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 628.
The eirth semis of so small quantitie Ib. 633. 1531 Bell. Boece II 358.
Ane comeit of mervellus quantite Ib. 465.
Ane hevy mace of mair wecht and quantite than ony man micht weild Id. Livy I 99/10. 1555 Acts II 496/2.
All mesouris … to be of ane quantitie to by with 1575 Reg. Privy C. II 454.
Albeit sensyne the saidis complenaris understandis the same mesour to be of far greittar quantitie nor is abone mentionat a1578 Pitsc. I 186/15. 1578 Aberd. Chart. 337.
Ordanis the samen to be of quantite of the auld passage 1590 Burel Pilgr. i 115.
All of ane quantitie ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 83. 1600-1610 Melvill 640.
And ane of the ministeres of no small quantitie … walkit at his stirrope 1635 Glasgow Trades House 176.
To by ane new ane [sc. a bell] of ane lytle mair quantatie 1640 4th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 512/2.
Ane stone of the quantitie of half an hens eg c1650 Spalding I 158.
Ane vther gentlemen [sic in pr.] of his schape and quantetie 1652 Grant Chart. 461.
To … furnish the … house with … duick [etc.] … muirfowl and pertridge, and all otheris off that quantitie(4) 1533 Boece 98b.
Cesare … left [at Carron] ane stane hous of hewyn aslare … biggit on ane huge quantite, abone xxiiij cubitis [etc.](5) c1420 Wynt. vii 882.
Na swylk a kyrk, as now yhe se, Swa large wes mad in qwantyte 1490 Irland Mir. II 48/11.
For his body is thar in figur and quantite as my body is heir c1510 Prester John 310b.
Our palece that we trow it is abovne all palecis … in quantite & strentht 1596 Dalr. I 26/20. 1639 Baillie I 225.
To print … ane Hebrew Bible … in quantitie of our English poutch Bibles 1655 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 145.
Ane loft … in proportioun and quantitie of the hamermens loft 1673 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 55.
Everie burges to have alyke of both in mett and measure, quantitie and qualitie(6) 1490 Irland Mir. I 68/11.
The barne had bene borne in litile quantite as now, conformand to the moderis wame Ib. II 79/2.
Thai sal rys in perfit state and quantite of thar compleit augmentacioun and growin 1531 Bell. Boece I xliii.
Thir … fische … grow in mervellus quantite(7) ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1884) 49.
A kynd of fishe, the quhantitie and shape of ane salmont 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 13.
One litle rid stane … the quantite of ane plowm(8) 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 28/24.
So to haue a quantitie is so proper to a solide bodie, that … it cannot be any more without one then a spirite can haue one

b. (Two, also one, dimensional) spatial extent or measurement, space. 1375 Barb. vi 76 (C).
Endlang the vattir than ȝeid he On athir syde gret [E. a gret] quantite c1420 Wynt. ii 700.
Ane yle, wes in the se Off gret space and off quantyte 1428 Liber Melros 520.
A certane of landis callyt baris landis bot the quantite tharof thai knew noth 1437 Reg. Dunferm. 285. 1491 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 63.
The quhylk haill crofte extendis in baith south and north to the quantite of a felde rude and sex ellis c1515 Asl. MS I 155/1.
Asya is mast in quantite 1528 Lynd. Dreme 641.
The quantytie of the erth circuleir Is fyftie thousand liggis [etc.] 1581 Crail B. Ct. MS 2 May.
Quantatie 1594–5 Cal. Sc. P. XI 559. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 41/11.
A spirite can occupie no quantitie 1622-6 Bisset II 50/20.

c. ? Occupiable space, room. 1640 Kirkcaldy Presb. 179.
Regrateing the uncommodiousnes of the Kirk of Portmook both in respect of the place (as is notour) as also in respect of the quantitie

d. Length or shortness of sounds or syllables, musical or prosodic quantity. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 9.
Thys classe sal reid … sum buik of Ouide, and the quantiteis of syllabes c1550-c1580 Art of Music 13b.
The quantateis perfyt and imperfyt of noittis Ib. 24b.
The quantaties of all noittis and pausis in equall voces dewydit Ib. 4b. 1602 Colville Paraenese 92.
To amuse my self vpon the quantitie of syllabes

e. Length (of a literary work). — a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1 (Harl.).
This breuit buke of sobir quantite

2. Great size, largeness of size. 1533 Boece 236b.
Malcolme the thrid for quantite of his hede namyt Canmore c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1638.
Nemrod … His strenth, curage, and quantitie

3. Amount (of material things not normally subject to definite spatial measurement, of money, of wealth). c1400 Troy-bk. ii 290.
Which that shall be the quantyte Of it ȝhe ettille for to to Of the kyng and of hys also ?14.. Ship Laws c. 1 (B).
Eftyr as the quantyte of the salt is 1456 Hay II 119/20.
Mekle brynt wod and grete quantitee tharof Ib. 155/27.
To discerne … bathe of sommys and quantiteis a1500 Henr. Fab. 376 (Bann.).
Quha hes ennuche, of no moir hes he neid, Thocht it be littill in to quantete 1484 Acta Aud. *149/2.
To prufe the avale and quantite of the saide chene 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 116. 1513 Ib. MS XXVI 92.
As for the bottis … at the lordis be advertist … of the quantite of thar birtht 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 309 (18 June).
To preif the availe & quantate of the maile of thare howsis 1555 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 14.
Certane fwylȝe … to the quantite & nowmer of x or xij hors laidis 1559 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 159. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 130/13.
In the forme and quantite of bread and vyne 1566 Peebles B. Rec. I 302.
Quhat kynd of cornis it be that the said taxman is defraudit and quhaintate tharof 1568 Inverness Rec. I 164.
His coles … to the quantite of ane pek 1570 Leslie 265. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Serplath. 1612 Misc. Maitl. C. III 117.
The noblemen being in great miscontentment for the quantitie of the taxatioun 1617 Acts IV 531/2.
Where the fructis of the benefice will extend to that quantitie 1672 Ib. VIII 79/2.
Where ministers … have not locallities assigned to them for their stipends … according to the quantities proportions & rules contained in the … act … 1633 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 270.
To the effect the quantetie of the impositione may be liquidat 1697 Cullen B. Rec. 30 June.
The number and quantity of one boll one furlate [etc.] … bear out of ane croft of land(2) 1375 Barb. xx 164 (C).
Siluir in-to gret quantite a1400 Leg. S. xlvi 77.
Quantyte c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 224.
To wyne the warldis gud in gret quantite 1540–1 Elgin Rec. I 58.
And bying of fresch salmond in greit quantate 15.. Clar. iv 1362.
Quantitie 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 146/1.
To the effusioun of his blude in greit quantatie(3) 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 522.
With our awin vther siluer to ane gret quantite(4) 1513 Doug. iii vi 214.
With huge charge of syluer in quantite

b. A (large or small) amount, a portion (of something). a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 815.
The fals man … [in] it put of quantyte, That fra the Iow borouyt had he c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1858.
A certane quantite of gold 1533 Bell. Livy II 188/19.
Ane certane quantite of money 1533 Boece 504.
Sic quantite of haill fell fra the lift that [etc.] 1549 Compl. 7/27.
He resauit that litil quantite of cleen vattir as humainly as [etc.] Ib. 109/2. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 128/3.
In sa litle ane quantite of bread and vyne 1562-3 Winȝet II 53/12.
As thai quha hes drunkin sik quantitie of wyne quhilk nothir hes micht to slay, nor ȝit [etc.] 1563–4 Inverness Rec. I 110.
And sched ane greit quantitie of his blude 1580 Dundee Chart. 53.
Be occasioun of the greit quantitie of sand 1582–3 Conv. Burghs II 509.
Ilk quantitie or bowlk of lambskynnis 1596 Dalr. I 7/36.
Na small quantitie of leid 1607 Mining Rec. 118.
Quhairas that quantitie of the vres and mettallis … perished and sunk in the sea 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 45.
Quhairby the quantities and worthes thairoff [heirship movables] may be cleirit 1659 Irvine Mun. II 81.
To … uplift … that same self just particular quantatie of multour with that same self measur … and which quantaties of moulter respective aforsaid sall be [etc.] 1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
We tak a litle qwantitie owt of each barrell or stand of eall 1669 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 197.
And did pull out a great quantity of his hair 1672 Edinb. Test. LXXIV 203b.
Ane grose of impes … ane quantitie of blaikkear 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 328.
Seaverall quanteties of Irish leather and cheis

c. Amount, degree, extent (of something non-material). Also pl. in sing. sense. ? Only in Hay. 1456 Hay II 63/2.
For quhen knycht knawis nocht his quantiteis of his mesure in all his dedis [etc.] Ib. 77/26.
Bot for grete quantitee of age and grete febilness of body has maid me sa paysand and hevy to travaile that power wantis and na gude will Ib. 127/28.
To trete … of the four sesonis … bathe of thair qualiteis and quantiteis and proprieteis

4. Number (of numerable things and of persons). 1375 Barb. iii 730.
Quhen the folk … Saw men off armys in thar cuntre Aryve in-to sic quantite Ib. xi 206.
Inglis-men, in sic aray And in-to sua gret quantite Ib. viii 180, x 479, etc. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 324 (C).
And whyle the Troyiens gadrand wer The quantytees as we seyd ere Ib. 1455.
And with full mekile quantyte Of Troyiens dyd hym to the see 1456 Hay I 10/11.
And put to dede in grete quantitee … be Dioclisian Ib. II 163/21.
A … gardyn quhare thare is grete quantitee of fruyte treis, herbis, and othir gresis c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3508.
Thay ar sa huge and grete of quantetie 1567 Digest Justiciary Proc. F. 20.
Delaitit of hame bringing … counterfuttit hardheidis of greit quantitie 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 345.
Vpoun the count and inventare of the quantitie [of coins] ressavit 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 135/19.
To mak chalices of gold and siluer in mair quantitie and aboundance nor befoir

b. An (indefinite, = fair, considerable) number (of persons). 1375 Barb. vi 235 (C).
He … strikand … slew of thame a quantite Ib. xii 101. 1456 Hay I 57/17.
That ony quantitee of peple eschapit fra the bataill

5. a. Size, importance (of a place). 1455 Acts II 43/1.
viij or xij personis, eftir the quantite of the towne 1558–9 Statut. Sc. Ch. 157.
And effeiring to the quantitie of the perochin 1616 Irvine Mun. II 48.
In everrie burgh … according to the quantetie thairof and frequencie of travellouris a mor sewer innes

b. Value, worth, yield (of a minister's living or his manse and glebe). 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 677.
According to the rait and quantitie of thair benefices 1569 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 147.
That … godly, discreet, and wise men … visite the manses and gleebs … to the effect they may report to my … lords foresaid, quhat is the particular quantity of every manse and gleeb 1576 Ib. 369.
Sall all ministers livings be alyke in quantitie

c. ? Value (of anything). 1622-6 Bisset II 259/16.
The maister salhave the maisteris chenȝe and quhissill of quhatsumevir quantitie it be 1638 Sc. Ant. I 28.
Be teeling and earing with the said Jhon May his own pleuch and guds of ane little quantatie

6. Magnitude, importance, consequence (of immaterial things). a1400 Leg. S. xviii 17.
Nothire stekis fra Goddis mercy Of the syne the quantyte Na ȝet of it the inormyte Ib. ii 901, x 576. 14.. Acts I 107/2.
That he be punyst eftir the maner & the quantite of the trespas 1456 Hay I 115/6. 1486 Bk. Carlaverock II 447.
Be consideratione of thair quencians efter the quantite of the scaith 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a 26b.
The iudge to assigne ane new day to the defendare … lang or schort eftir the quantitie of the causis 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 20b.
He salbe punissed conforme to the maner & quantitie of the crime 1622-6 Bisset II 58/9.
To the quantitie of the cause or distance of the place quhere the defendare duellis a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 8.
Rebells … should be punished … efter the qualitie and quantitie of their rebellion

7. Quantity, magnitude, in non-specific use. 1531 Vaus (1531) 4.
Dictionis that signifyis missure of quantite, distans or space a1568 Bann. MS 44b/54.
In al thingis knaw the quantetie