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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.

Knot, n. Also: knott(e, cnott; knoit. [ME. knot(te, cnot(te, OE. cnotta.]

1. A knot in thread, string, etc. Also with defining words naming types of knot in drawn, lowp and running knot.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2842.
Tak ane dowbill tuynit threid, And bind thy leg to myne with knottis fast 1513 Doug. xi. xv. 21.
Hys rych mantill, of quham the forbreist lappys … was buklyt with a knot 1584 Calderwood IV. 42.
Like unto an inorderlie thread runne all together in knotts and knars 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 299.
For Phetanissa hes he send, With sorcerie and incantationes, Reasing the devill with invocationes, With herbis, stanes, buikis and bellis, Menis members, and south rinning wellis; Palme croces, and knottis of strease, The paring of a preistis auld tees 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 115.
Thow tuik ane greyne threid vpone thy fingeris, … and maid knottis theron 1597 James VI Dæmonol. 12.
By knitting so manie knottes vpon a poynt 1629 Dundonald Par. Rec. 278.
They had holden … her legge about ane cokefull of water and had cast some knottes of strawes in the water 1643 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 178.
[They] found the thrie grassis bound in a knot 1662 Crim. Trials III. 605.
We took a threid of each cullor of yairne … and did cast thrie knots on each threid 1665 Alford Rec. 73.
Anent the delatione given in by the minister of Clunie against ane James Smith, for useing inchantment, by casting of the knotts at marriages for unlawfull ends 1665 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 280.
Casting of the knottis at mariages 1704 Dunkeld Presb. II. 60.
She hade committed the malifice … by … speaking some words and casting a knotte(2) 1513 Doug. xii. x. 122.
At ane hie balk teyt vp scho has With a lowp knot a stark cord or a las Quharwith hir self scho spilt 1696 Murray Witch-cult 204.
[They] thought at first … the neck-cloath not having any drawn knot (or run loup) … that he had not been quite deadfig. 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 672.
All the knots of the neerest and most immediat relations betuixt [members of a family] … are but running knots

2. An ornamental knot (in ribbon or cord, or an imitation in jewellery or embroidery). Also attrib. with hinging, werk.Also cordeleir and frere knot, a friar's knot, one imitating the knotted cords of the Franciscans, see Cordelere n.², Frere n. 3, and knot of luif, a lover's knot. 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 83.
A chenȝe of gold maid in fassone of frere knottis contenand fourti foure knottis 1561 Inv. Q. Mary 31.
Ane bed of crammosie veluot enrichit with knottis of luif Ib. 38.
Vpoun the claith of siluir thair is cordeleir knottis of claith of gold maid in broderie quhilkis knottis hes fassis of threid of gold 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 264.
A belt of knottis of perll and reid curall and jarbes of gold 1643 Edinb. Test. LX. 233.
Tuentie aucht pair of ribbennet rosis for womane, … fower pair knottis 1683 Inventory in Donibristle Mun. (Earl of Moray's MSS.) 8 (9–10 May).
A litle gilded coffar wherin their is fourtein knotts of counterfeit ribbon 1695 Soc. Ant. II. 234.
For 5 ell of blak ribans to be knots to the top of the branches on the hearseattrib. a 1500 Coll. St. Salvator 157.
Of knot werk for settis fyue tapettis 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 162.
Ane standing bed, with blew damask knot hingings

3. A pattern or design of interlacing lines; also as a figure in a dance. c1590 J. Stewart 78/205.
The curius knots so circuat … about the letters plet Thairbe the bands of Cupid notifeis 1633 Mill Mediaev. Plays 271.
Threttein glovers … scheiring raperis in thair handis … dauncit our sword daunce with mony difficill knottis 1693 Fraser in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 2 16.
Many curious knotts of mosaick vork yett to be seen [at Iona]

4. A flower-bed of elaborate design, a formal garden. Also fig. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 611.
Palace and towris War … Importurait of birdis and sweit flouris, Curious knottis, and mony hie devise 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 110.
To tua gardnaris … for casting of knottis and setting and sawin of flouris within the said gardin a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 35.
In the quhilk gardin I haue sein fyve scoir torris of tymber about the knottis of the flouris 1668 Lauder Jrnl. 189.
A most sweit garden, the knot much larger than at Hamilton … ; the knot will be 200 foot square 1680 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 419.
The said waist ground … is to be made in ane garden knott for comone usefig. 1596 Dalr. I. 110/6.
Men … quha wattired the knottis and gairdins of Scotland … with the fountanes of thair ingines

5. a. A closely massed party of fighting men, a ‘bunch’; latterly, a company or troop of fighting men, more generally.(1) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 173/17.
The Albianis … ruschit all to giddir in ane knoit Ib. II. 328/6.
He ruschitt forthwertt with ane knott of wailȝeand men Id. Livy II. 105.
Tempaneus seand … his turmis interclusit sa … drew thame all togidder in maner of ane round knott on ane mote 1535 Stewart 49582.
Ane greit captane … come with mony Scott And Inglismen togidder in ane knott 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 297.
The inhabitaris of the toun in ane haill knot at the butter trone in feir of weir a1578 Pitsc. I 275/20.
He held him sellff and his men round togidder in ane knot and come vpone the horsemen of Inglaid(2) a1578 Pitsc. II. 39/6 (1).
The Scotis was nocht abone v^c men, quho was devydit in tuo knottis in cumpanies 1596 Dalr. II. 317/20.
The Inglismen … erected a stark strenth on the hill … quhair monie knotis and cumpanies of men of weir tha placet Ib. 318/18.
The toun of Dundei was fortifeit with hagbitteris and vii vtheris knotis of men of weir Scotis furnist with al kynd of waipounis

b. A group, cluster, or swarm (of various things). c1590 Fowler I. 105/23.
Thair in one knott the Thebanes thrie I spyed 1587-99 Hume iii. 152.
Some … swarmes hyves on the trees, In knots togidder fast 1699 History of the Works of the Learned for the Month of November 1699 386.
The Orcades are a knot of islands in number 32

6. a. A knot in wood. b. A node in the stem of a plant. c. A massive, bulging joint in piping.a. 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 41.
A huge speir of haill tre, With bark and knottis altogidder 1630 Justiciary Cases I. 145.
He cuist the said battoun in the fyre … it gaif ane girt noyse … quhairat … Alexr. said … it is nothing bot the knottis of the fir that makis the noyseb. 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 45.
[Burning grass,] His uattir crakkis into his knottisc. 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 423.
And for making the same [lengths of piping] strong and firme [he] hes made ane knot of lead thereupon Ib.
Each nyneteine foot of the said leaddin pyp with the knot of lead and joyning therof

d. A swelling or protuberance on a limb. (Cf. Knop n. 4 b). 1535 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. 202 b. (7 Dec.).
That this hors vas crukit one ner ferder knee be ane knot that vas one it

7. fig. a. A firm or binding link, a secure bond, a faithful contract or promise. (Cf. Knit v. 4 a). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 184/22.
Thai ar nobillis that … defendis thar lord nocht lowsand the richt knot of thair faith 1533 Boece xi. x. 427.
The blude royal quhilk suld be the knott strenth and stabilite to this kinrik 1567 G. Ball. 148.
With my faith I mak ane wow, And knittis it with ane knot 1596 Dalr. II. 118/27.
Throuch occasione of this coniunctioun, a fast and perpetual cnott betuen thame [England and Scotland] mycht be knutt 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 672.
There is but ane harden knot … that blest knot of unione … betuixt the belever and Christ Jesus 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 409.
That a knot may be cast to unite you to him, never to be loosed

b. A knotty problem, a difficulty, a stumbling-block, a flaw. a1599 Rollock Wks. II. 623.
When he [sc. Christ] hath restored him [sc. Peter] to the office of apostleship, which, by his denial, justly he had lost, he gives him the office with a knot, as we speak, and he forewarns him in the entry, that he shall get no rest in it c1616 Hume Orthog. 13.
Now I am cum to a knot … and wald be glaed if I cold hoep for help 1641 Baillie I. 394.
The great knott was, that the oath which he had invented, obliedged the Parliament … to ane accurate tryall of all … plotters 1645 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 621.
Christ hath taught you … not to sorrow because he died. All the knot must be, he died too soon Ib. 627.
A life of ease in the world without one knot in the rush