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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.

Daft, a. Also: dafte, daupht. [ME. daft stupid, foolish, early ME. daffte, OE. ᵹedæfte, meek, humble.]

1. Lacking sense or intelligence; stupid. c1420 Wynt. v. 2115.
[The image] is bath dum, and deffe, and daft a1500 Henr. Fab. 2484.
Quha sayis ane scheip is daft, thay lieit of it 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2008.
Thou art the daftest fule that evir I saw c1550 Rolland C. Venus Prol. 74.
He that has of watter the natoure … Is daft and doyld Id. Seven S. 50.
My onlie sone … ȝe haue brocht him heir With na maners, bot doytit, daft and dum 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 914.
Bot Englis men are not so daft Bot they perceaved his clocked craft

2. Lacking in common sense; of unsound mind; crazy, insane, lunatic. 1456 Hay I. 286/26.
Gif fulis throu thair foly be sa daft that thai wage bataill for lytill a1500 Henr. III. 150/11.
For feir my longis wes flaft, or I wes dottit or daft 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 218.
Thir daft and presumptuos pepil … wait nocht quhat thai say 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. lviii.
He that was trublit with the falling evil, or fallin daft or wod … was geldit 1536 Reg. Privy S. II. 305/2.
Makand mentioun that William Creichtoun of Frendracht is daft and natural ideot 1540 Ib. 487/2.
Makand him curatour … to Patrik Neilsoun, quhilk is daft and hes na witt to gyde himself 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3663.
All the Impire almaist thay maid clene daft 1558-66 Knox II. 136.
Kynge Charles that tyrane terrible … Endit at ones ragine and daft 1581 Burne Disput. 47 b.
I, becaus I am ane fule, vil hald me daft vith S. Augustin a1585 Polwart Flyt. 626.
Witnes some verse he wreit Halfe daft in a rage 1596 Dalr. I. 237/16.
To be blind, or daft, as we say, or by his mynd 1603 Moysie 113.
Dancing and playing [were] vsit in all pairtes, As gif the pepill had bein daft for mirthe 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 31.
I wot not well, whether the man was daft 1650 Maxwell Mem. 353.
When the said Iames did lick the spoone wherin the salve was, [he] becam dafte 1665 Lauder Journal 83.
She told me on a tyme the tale or conte of daupht Jock with his sotteries, iust as we have it in Scotland 1695 Peebles B. Rec. II. 151.
He heard him call the proveist a daft drunken dog

3. Of actions, talk, etc.: Marked by, proceeding from, want of sense, foolishness, or frenzy. 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 218 b.
Ȝour daft & wykit langage, that ȝe Haue spokin agane his … wisdome Ib. fol. 323 b.
Sic blind and daft luf that Paris and Elena had to gidder 1554 Crim. Trials I. 363.
The said Jasper hes bene furious and wantand the use of resoune, doand … furious and daft dedis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 593.
He was deiect be daft delyrament 1551 Hamilton Cat. 86/39.
For lufe of geir, or carnal affection, or sum uther daft opinion a1568 Bann. MS. 255 a/9.
I find nocht but daft consaitis To say of lufe 1581 Burne Disput. 43 b.
This … ignorant man, quha dar prefer his auin daft iugement … to sa monie learnit and halie men 1600-1610 Melvill 123.
He bosted that he wald houche Mr Andro, with mikle mair daft talk 1616 Sutherland Corr. 125.
I will newer make ansuer to sik daft lettres till his lordschip and I meitt 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1675) 26.
When our Lord bloweth the bloom off our daft hopes in this life

4. Thoughtless, giddy, wanton. 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 81.
Quhen ȝe ȝourselfis ar daft and ȝoung, And hes nocht but ane pyat toung 1616 Lett. & State P. James VI. 295.
According to the coustume of all other daft youthes