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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Note, Noit, Not(t, v.² Also: noyt(e, noat. P.p. notit, nottit, noittit, etc., also ? note, noit. [ME. (Ancr. R.) and e.m.E. note(n, late ME. noote, OF. noter, notter, L. notāre f. nota Note n.²]

1. tr. To mark or observe closely; to take careful note of; to attend or give thought to, to consider carefully.Const. direct obj., noun clause, and absol. = Nota v.).Also, to take heed for (something).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii. 43.
The king … notyt wel … The ansuere that ilkane mad c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 5.
This lytill trety … is to be notyde & scharply consediryt a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 240..
Micht nane thame [sc. the defences of the castle] note with invy 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 126.
Tharfor, gude frendis, for a gymp or a bourd, I pray ȝou note me nocht at euery word Ib. iii. viii. 19.
Of euery starn the twynklyng notis he Ib. xiii. viii. 12.
Bot specialy and first of all the laif The gret capitan Enee notyt thai haue Id. Comm. i. iii. 92.
Noyte Virgill in this comparison … for therin … baris he the paim of lawd 1533 Boece ii. ix. 74.
Quhen … the oratouris had diligently notit the rytis cerymonis [etc.] … thai tuke thareof grete plesure 1535 Stewart 11674.
Noit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10592. a1568 Scott i. 221.
Noblest natour … not This dull indyte c1568 Lauder Minor P.ii. 15.
Chiefle Protestantes, lat ws notit c 1569 Sc. N. & Q. 3 Ser. VIII. 44.
Ye can nocht hyd youre wylis … I nott thame weill anew a1578 Pitsc. II. 58/1.
Not allso the articles quhairof he was accussit(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 791 (Bann.
Attent wyislye and in ȝour hartis note [Ch. be noit, H. be note] Aganis deid may no man [etc.] a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 287.
O man, behald thi maker … wesche thair feit … To gar men noit how weill He the saule lude a1538 Abell 1 a.
Heir ye ma noit that thir figuris [etc.] 15.. Newbattle Chart.
It is to be notit that the for said abbot [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 157. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 112/25.
Thane sal we … considder and note quhilk of the twa interpretaciones is maist … aggreabil with the … text 1562-3 Winȝet I. 24/1.
For the mynd of man … (as ane … wryttar rycht warly notis) … submittis not the self willinglie [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 221.
It is to be notit that my Lord Harreis fenȝeit himself seik c1650 Spalding I. 347.
Nottit(3) absol. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 47 marg.(4) 15.. Balcarres P., V. MS. 73.
Note and Se well ffor the furnyture of the pecis

b. To observe with, or be observed or perceived of, the eyes), as something visible or manifest. 1533 Boece xiii. xv. 532.
All the realme … sall behaid and note with thare ene ȝoure hardyment 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 2.
Thay thingis … as thay wer than as a spectakle notit of all mennis eyis

2. With complements: To observe or detect in some more or less reprehensible action.In some contexts there is ambiguity with sense 3. 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 81.
And gif ony personis … beis ouertane wyrkand with cardis notit or previt apone him 1528–9 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 361.
Quha that … beis notit haldand tauik in the tyme of the seruice a1538 Abell 51 a.
He wes notit at he wald lauch in baptizin of barnis 1558-66 Knox II. 425.
How daingerous ane thing it was that mynisteris sould be noittit ane to disagree from ane uther 1569 Reg. Privy C. I. 669.
Quha beis … notit to have contravenit the formar proclamatioun 1605 S. Leith Rec. 3/2.
Giff ever he beis notted excessive dronkin 1610 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XIV. 40.
Ilk persone frieman that is nottit absent

b. To observe or perceive that (how) one has acted reprehensibly. a1605 Montg. Son. xxi. 5.
Thoght ȝe deny, thair is aneu to note How ȝe for justice jouglarie hes vsit

3. To take written note of, to set down in writing, write down.Also with persons as object (by metonymy for their names and particulars).Also with up, id.(1) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 40.
That … is notyt now In syndry placis in wryt 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 170.
In palm tre leiffis thame notand al and sum, Writand vp euery word 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 117.
[To bring] with thame the sute roll … and note the absentis 1533 Boece ii. v. 64 b.
And causit thame be notit in tabillis and be callit lawis 1562-3 Winȝet II. 15/16.
I … anis notit my apperence in the margin 1566 Reg. Privy C. I. 441.
Sic hedis … quhilk the clerk sall note and gif in ticket to the Chancellar 1574 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 142.
All customaris … to note quhat schippis departis laidynnit and empty 1578 Edinb. Test. VI. 178.
The testament … quhilk wes writtin & notit be Alexander Bruce, writter 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 577.
Thay salbe noted, accusit … and puneist(b) c1420 Wynt. vi. 821.
Rodard … Slw this kyng … As is nottyd be thire wers c1450-2 Howlat 151.
And I sall not ȝow richt now thar names 1600 Elgin Rec. II. 85.
Ane papyer buik to not the outpassing of ilk persone a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 9.
Notted c1650 Spalding II. 16.
As is nottit in his awin paperis heirefter Ib. 281.
Both hird and hyreman wes preceislie nottit, to the effect the 4th man micht be lifted 1658 Sc. Diaries 127.
This notted one 11 September 1658(c) 1514 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 90.
That thai sall leleiy … noit and vpgif all resittouris and herbrearis of suspect personis(2) 1583–4 Burntisland B. Ct. 9 Feb.
For the fourth cuminge of the haill houshauld geir of Wm. Clerk … quhilk he hes in his dwellinge hous nottit vp in ane tickat c1650 Spalding I. 247.
Or vtheruaies not wp the names of these who refuisit to subscrive

b. To note out, ? to mention or describe specially. — 1594 Charteris Pref. Wall. in Misc. Bann. C. III. 171.
To note out ane lytill of their schameles impudencie

4. a. To mark out or distinguish from others, to designate, specify.The Forbes quot. may perh. belong rather under sense 5. c1420 Wynt. ii. 600.
Bot eftyr thame [sc. the plagues of Egypt] … War notyt the forbodyn dayis In ilk moneth off the yhere 1540–1 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 168.
George Faw … requirit Androw Chalmer … to nayme or nott samony of thair company as [etc.] 1596 Dalr. II. 421/8.
Ilk was noted be his awine ordour and religioun quhilk tha calit libertie of conscience a1634 Forbes Rec. 519.
In that proclamation the holy ministrie ar insimulat, yea, oppenlie notted indicta causa as restles and unquyet spirits [etc.]

b. To serve as a sign of; to represent by means of a sign; to denote, signify, indicate.Common in the linguistic use in Hume Orthog. c1420 Wynt. vii. 3136.
This myrakill … Notis gret reverens dwne till hyr lord c1616 Hume Orthog. 20.
Houbeit the e behind the c be idle, yet use hes made it tollerable to noat the breaking of the c Ib. 22; etc.
The grave accent is never noated but onelie understood

5. To mark out for blame or infamy on account of a crime or fault; to find fault with, blame, reproach.Freq. passive and chiefly said of public or general reproach and const. with or of the crime or fault.(1) 1533 Boece vi. xi. 207 b.
That his folkis suld nocht note him with cowardise 1535 Stewart 34950.
And he war notit with sic falt or cryme Ib. 58385.
Noittit 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 250.
Ingratious pepill! … Quhy do ȝe noit ȝour nychtboris ay with ill? a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. lii. 23.
Bot notit with newfangilnes Of ingraitnes c1590 Fowler II. 116/14.
A prence … suld panse litill to be noted with the infame of crueltie 1616 Melrose P. I. 255.
My accuser, noated with so many publik blemishes(2) 1513 Doug. xiii. iii. 135.
Bot thai sal nocht behald thé with sik lak … Ne noyt thé of na cowardys in thar mynd a1538 Abell 34 b.
This Libeir wes the first paip … that wes manifestlie notit of error(3) 1596 Dalr. II. 418/17.
Pleiset him with this blasphemie to note the Catholik religioune

b. To attach infamy to, to censure (a crime). 1626 Garden Worthies 42.
Bot that wnworthie … revenge … Still Treuth & Tyme as most ignoble notted

c. P.p. Noted, distinguished, celebrated (with or of a virtue etc.). c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 5.
He nottit is thy name of nobilnes 1533 Boece ix. iv. 295.
Saxons ar nocht notit with sic vassalage that nane vthir dar recounter thame in feild

6. To provide with musical notation, to score. 1454 Invent. in Dundee B. Ct. I. 5.
A mes buke notyt and claspyt with siluer a 1500 Coll. St. Salvator 158.
Ane collector with antiphonis and responsis and yms breuit and notit for the chantouris 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 134.
Jhone Bughen … both set and notit this psalme

7. To mark or otherwise annotate (a written text) in, or as in, the margin, in order to draw attention to a particular passage or item. Also absol. 1546 Crawford Mun. Invent. II. 64 (15 Apr.).
Raise cursings in generall vpoun all this band and siclik in speciall wpoun that part quhair ye find double notit 1622-6 Bisset II. 215/31.
That the lawes of England ar takin out of the Scottis lawes and registeris … as they ar noted and marked as said is 1642 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 327.
That every act be noted on the margent for a directory expedition