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.
Quotation dates: 1420-1605
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Quent, Quaint, Queynt, adj.1 (adv.). Also: qwent, quaynt, qwaynt, quant, quynt(e. [Sc. forms corresp. to ME quoynte (c 1290), early kointe, cointe (Ancr. R.), ME and e.m.E. quaint (Cursor M.), queynt (Chaucer), OF coint, cointe, also queinte, quointe, quuinte, known, familiar (cf. Quent,adj.2), elegant, refined, skilful, valiant, (L. cognitus known).]Much used by Douglas.
1. Of persons: Ingenious, clever, skilful.c1450-2 Howlat 771 (A).
In com iapand the ia, as a iugloure With castis and with cawtelis, a quaynt [B. quynt] caryar 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 716.
Ȝit clerkis bene in subtell wordis quent, And in the deid als schairp as only snaillis c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii 27.
The seuint, hecht Periander Corinthius, Last of thame all ane cunning man and quent [:president, ancient, emminent]
2. In the bad sense: Crafty, cunning.1513 Doug. ii ii 56.
Of the fals flechand Vlixes sa quent [:haitrent] 1571 Disc. tviching estait A vii.
Ane inuentioun of thay quent curteouris
b. Of attributes and contrivances of persons: Marked by craft, cunning or subtlety; crafty, subtle, insidious.1513 Doug. ii v 4.
The dym nycht … With hir dyrk weid bath erth and firmament Involwyng, by hir secret schaddowis quent 1513 Ib. iv Prol. 246.
O lust, infernal furnys … Quent fendis net 1513 Ib. ii 37.
Of hoyt amouris the subtell quent fyre 1513 Ib. vii iv 205.
Quhilk Circes, … Be a quent way fra hir awin fader staw 1513 Ib. xi viii 121.
Fourtoun interchangabill with blenkis quent Full mony ane dissauyt hes and schent 1513 Ib. xii xi 41, xiii iii 55. 1531 Bell. Boece I 12.
How the Britonis, be thair quent slichtis, dissolvit the band of alliance betwix the Scottis and Pichtis 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 38.
Qwent c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii 597.
With thair sle craft, and quent cunning perqueir a1568 Scott xxvi 3.
I muse … Quhat way to wryt … The quent consaitis of wemenkynd a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xlviii 146. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. li 38.
3. a. Of arguments, narratives, rhetorical figures: Skilfully contrived or elaborated, ingeniously worked out.c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 11.
Thai … Fluryside fayrly thaire purpose Wytht queynt [E.2 quant, W. qwaynt] and curyous circumstance a1500 Prestis of Peblis 317 (Asl.).
Than spak the king, ‘Ȝour conclusioun is quent [Ch. quaint, rh. plant]' 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 819.
Thay ladyis … Quhilks in that airt micht haue na compeir Of castis quent, rethorik colouris fine 1513 Id. Æn. i Prol. 196.
The poetis … In similitudes and vndir quent figuris The suythfast materis to hyde and to constreyn 1513 Ib. 255. 1568 Lyndesay Pref. Adhort. (S.T.S.) 404/38.
With weil waillit wordis, wyse, and familiar, Of queynt conuoy
b. Of various artifacts: Elaborately or ingeniously contrived, skilfully made; elegant, beautiful, fine. Also adv.1456 Hay II 56/20.
Quynte clething and joly polist corps falsate tresoune [etc.] … is agayne the ordre of knychthede and all gude thewis 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 535.
In vestures quent of mony sindrie gyse 1501 Ib. 1492 (L).
The costly subtil quent spectacle of Rome 1501 Ib. 1430 (E). 1501 Ib. 1919. 1513 Id. Æn. viii x 66.
The figour of the quent rayn bowe 1513 Ib. i ix 124, xi 35.adv. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 180.
Quhen fresche Flora spred furth hir tapestrie, Wrocht be Dame Nature quent and curiouslie
4. Strange, unfamiliar; odd, curious; weird, uncanny.c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 14604.
And thare he vesyit the Macrebeanis Ane pepill ferlifull of quent fessoun Liffand in cavis withoutin hous or toun 1513 Doug. i Prol. 185.
Nor ȝit admittis that quent philosophy Haldis sawlys hoppys fra body to body 1513 Ib. ii v 36.
And in thar swewynnys metis quent figuris 1513 Ib. iii i 108.
Of the goddis thir feirfull wordis quent [: went] 1513 Ib. vi i 17.
Dedalus … by a quent onvsyt way to knaw Towart the frosty poil artik he flaw 1513 Ib. vii v 117.
Quhilk fury quent, of kynd sa peralus 1513 Ib. x x 111.
Na vayn wrathys nor gaistis quent 1513 Ib. xi Prol. 88.
Thir fays famyliar beyn full quaynt to knaw 1513 Ib. iii Prol. 12, vi ii 60, iv 106.
5. In Alex., after OF coint: Valiant, brave.?1438 Alex. ii 6088.
And ȝit, for all thare iolyte, The quentest [F. li plus cointe] sall abased be ?1438 Ib. 10461.
To lufe weill and perfytely … And to the quent [F. A estre neis et cointes], clene and ioly, Of lytill ruse, wicht and hardy
6. In the following instance the precise application is uncertain:?1438 Alex. ii 7323.
He was courtas, sueit and quent, And wysly spekand at all poynt [F. Dous estoit et courtois et trés bien emparlés]
