A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Heft, n. Also: hefft. [ME. heft, hefte, OE. hæft(e, ON. hepte.] A haft. Also fig. in the proverbial phr. heft and blaid.Also common with defining nouns, as bane, elsine, quhinger, silver heft, for wbich see these words.a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1138.
In my mouth the heft thou set & outwart the blad of a knyfe c1420 Wynt. iv. 1075.
Wyth a knyff wp to the hefft He steykyd hym c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 41.
Sum jaggit vthiris to the heft 1535 Stewart 13550.
Tha blaidis brycht … stentit neuir quhill thai come to the heft 1570 Leslie 139.
[He] struk Sir James … with ane qhingyear in the wambe, thre sindry straiks to the heft 1621 Edinb. Test. 63 b.
Sex heftis of knyffis 1693 Ib. LXXX. 32 b.
The heft of a forkspoonefig. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 133.
Now hes fortoun gevin baith heft and blaid of this mater to us a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxii. 63.
Baith heft and blead ar in ȝour hand as ȝitcomb. 1589 Edinb. Hammermen I. 11.
James Scott, cultellar and heft makar
b. Be heft & stapill occas. written for be hesp & stapill, Hesp n. 1 (2).1564 Perth B. Ct. 83 b.
To be enterit be heft & stapill 1699 Rothesay B. Rec. 531.
Infeft therin be heft and staple as use is
