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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sport, Sporte, n.¹ [Late ME and e.m.E. sporte (c1440), sport (1450), aphetic f. Disport n.]

1. a. Entertainment, amusement, diversion. b. Recreation involving physical exercise, participation in games, etc.a., b. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 40.
To cut the winter nicht, and mak it schort, I tuik ane quair and left all vther sport a1500 Seven S. 1039.
At that wyndo was all hir sport To sit and se and luke ourethort c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xi 23.
Sen thow knawis thy tyme is schort, … Think, man, amang all vthir sport, Quod tu in cinerem reuerteris 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 18.
Thou bricht Cytherea … Ȝour sport for schame ȝe dar not specify 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 177.
Deliverit to Patrik Sclatare, iij quarteris of grene welvot to cover ane lytill sadill maid for sport, witht the harnessing thairto 1560 Rolland Seven S. 390.
Diuers … impediments, … Tysting the chylde to mony sport and play And to neglect his studie 1566 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XLIV (Jam.).
Als weill in tyme of weir as in tyme of peace and sport and play 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 5a.
Thir rowndales schoirte that I heir plainte Is for my spoirte, … Me to comfoirte quhen I was fainte 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 152.
[A great convocation of the lieges having been appointed … under pretext] of running and courseing of horssis undirtane for sporte [ … both the parties endeavouring] to mak the gretest showe [at this meeting] 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 116.
They throng in through the port, Thinking the play of fortune bairnely sport

c. Sexual activity. 1533 Boece 170b.
Gald … removit fra him and his pepill all voluptuous plesuris … debarring fra his army tavenaris, cukis, wemen of sporte, ruffianis and all vtheris … Be the contrare, Conare … drownit in lustis, vsis cumpany of harlottis and vthir vicious persouns to him plesing a1540 Freiris Berw. 170.
Than in hett luve thay talkit vderis till Thus at thair sport now will I leif thame still

d. In sport, in fun, not in earnest. a1538 Abell 113b.
Of him in sport yronice spak the Lord Lile to the king sayand schir this abbat … is nocht for ws courteowris 1570 Sat. P. xxi 93.
With speiris (in sport) thocht it be spokin, This murther sone reuenge 1571 Sat. P. xxv 137.
That we all, baith in ernest & sport, Aske [etc.]

e. In fig. context: Entertainment derived from the killing of game. 1633 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 660.
We ar informed that within your boundis ther ar some Mangrell haulks; whairof we are desyreous to mak tryell for our sport

2. Something providing amusement or diversion, a spectacle; a piece of (staged) entertainment; a joke, a jest. Also in fig. context. a1500 Henr. Fab. Prol. 20.
It [sc. poetry] is richt profitabill Amangis ernist to ming ane merie sport, To blyth the spreit a1500 Henr. Fab. 1816 (Bann.).
The awnare off ȝone lint ane fowlare is … Full monye of our kin he [hes] gart dee, And thocht it bot ane sport till spill thair blude a1500 Colk. Sow Prol. 19.
Than lat ws mak sum sport And recreatioun the cumpany to confort 1502 Halyb. xxii.
It wer bot a sport to ȝow to cum oure this somer tyme in this cuntre 1518 Mill Mediæv. Plays 220.
Francis Boithwell … is chosin to be Litiljohn for to mak sportis and jocositeis in the toun 1533 Bell. Livy II 178/27.
It is sade quhen ane of thir ȝoung men … vncertane quhidder he was revist with dyvine sprete or gif he said it for ane sporte, had demandit Quene Juno, saying [etc.] a1540 Freiris Berw. 341.
I ȝow pray … That science ȝe wald assay To mak ws sport and than the freyr uprais And tuk his buik and to the flure he gayis 1600-1610 Melvill in Mill Mediæv. Plays 288.
The erle … during all the sportes that followed … altered never the gravitie of his countenance 1608 Crim. Trials II 257.
I will nevir forȝet … that mirrie spoirt ȝour lordschipis brother tauld me of [etc.] c1650 Spalding II 292.
Stage playis, quhilk drew the people to behold the sport c1650 Spalding II 305.
Haddoch himself, with about 40 horss, wes lying nar hand, … beholding the sport; bot kythit not 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III 5 Feb.
Agnas Cowan came to his house about two years agoe, and said Jonet Cuthell will yow goe doun and see a sport, James Red with Agnas Crauford even nowfig. 1638 Bk. Pasquils 56.
Pyet preachers … With French jouks and Spanish cappes, … From tope to toe buskit lyke a sport

b. specif. In sarcastic use in reference to the manner of administering the Sacrament. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 84b.
The ane half desyring thair communion efter the neu sport, the vther half efter the auld fasson

3. A game or pastime, also one involving exercise. 1491 Acts II 226/2.
In na place of the realme be vsit fut bawis gouff or vthir sic vnproffitable sportis a1500 Bk. Chess 20.
Dyse … Quhilk bene a sport forbodyn in the law a1500 Bk. Chess 24.
Thai thairto for wynnyng gois suthly As than it [sc. dicing] bene a sport of harlotry a1500 Bk. Chess 93.
The fyndar of this chesis sport … Was a philosophour orientale a1500 Bk. Chess 144.
I maid … This sport of ches in figour to correct Thy vicious lyf 1513 Doug. iii iv 135.
We … langgis the channel, eftir the Troiane gys, The active gemmys and sportis gart assay 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 94/20.
So that alwaies the Sabbothes bee kept holie, and no vnlawfull sportes vsed

4. attrib. With staf.1634 Stirling B. Rec. I 172 (see Staf(f n. 2 c (2)).