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.
Front, n. Also: froynt(t, frount(e, frownt, frunt. [ME. front, frount (c 1290), OF. front, L. front-, frons.]
1. The forehead.a1400 Leg. S. xi. 288.
Quhene thai … had The croice in thare froyntis made Ib. xxvii. 1546.
He … prayt thaim … The takine of the cors to mak One thar froynttis a1447 Bower Scotichr. II. 376.
Als brankand as a bole in frontis [L. effurens fronte, ut taurus] a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 126.
He that dang sanct Augustine with ane rumple Thy fowll front had 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9542.
Froith ran fra fronts of the feirs forsie steids a1585 Polwart Flyt. 817 (T).
Jok blunt, thrawin frunt 1603 Philotus xcvi.
The feind resaue the feckles frunt
2. The foremost line, esp. of an army.1375 Barb. xi. 108.
Of thai war thre thousand … Till mak the front of the battale Ib. xvii. 569.
The Inglis men come on … Richt in a frount vith a baner ?1438 Alex. i. 313.
In the formaist front befoir He sawe mare than ane hundreth scoir Ib. 826.
Mony steid … He saw into the front cumaud c1450-2 Howlat 157.
Come four fasandis … in the first front Ib. 492.
Wend on … Throw the batell in bront, Ay formast in the front 1535 Stewart 9752.
Corbred than orderit hes the feild … , The leg harnes in to the formast front
b. In the phrase in front.c1475 Wall. vii. 661.
Thai mycht pas off that land, Betuix a rock and the gret wattir sid, Bot iiij in front Ib. 809.
Endlang the schoir ay four in frount thai past a1500 Colk. Sow i. 217.
Fergy in frunt past, And Fynny followit him fast 15.. Clar. iv. 1016.
Thir foure in frunt … forward ar thay gone
3. The foremost part of anything.c1400 Troy-bk. i. 227.
The housses in the frount before All of a hight 1462 Peebles B. Rec. 147.
At ilke man haf his dykkis mad … sowfychand bath for front and hede rowm c1475 Wall. viii. 830.
Ane othir awkwart apon the face tuk he, Wysar and frount bathe in the feild gart fle 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 40.
With frosyn frontis cauld clynty clewis schane 1589 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 104.
Tua ellis of blak gray to mak one front and steiffing to the schulderis
