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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Patent, a.² (adv.) Also: patt- and -ant. [e.m.E. patent (1486), -ente, north. paytent (1508), L. patens, also F. patent.Before the 17th c. chiefly Sc.]

1. Of a door or other means of ingress: Not shut; unobstructed; that can be passed through. Also fig.predic. a1500 Bk. Chess 1881.
In tyme of weir vnto none erdly wicht Patent suld be thair portis on the nycht 1533 Boece iii. xix. 118.
The cietenaris … become randerit and to Romanis made the portis patent 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3484.
Be thé the port of Paradice alsway Was patent maid 1549 Edinb. Guild Ct. 24 Oct.
The heid of the turngrice … quhilk aucht to be patent & oppin for his entres 1564 Perth B. Ct. 96 (19 May).
Lowrence Wilsoun suld … mak patent the said ȝet clois and throchtgang to be josit … be the said Johnne 1568 Perth Guildry 342 (11 Oct.).
The commoun wolt vnder the tolbuith … to be haldin cleire and patent for pasing & ressauyng of … gudis 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 120.
That the portis mycht be made patent to the regent and his folkis 1588 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 120. 1594 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 115.
That the baillies … caus hald the girneris durris … to be patent and oppin all tymes of the day 1603 Ellon Par. 41. 1655 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 16. 1691 Case of the Afflicted Clergy in Scotland 48.
They … continued forcing up the hall-door until the lock and bolts being broken it was made patentattrib. 1513 Doug. xi. xvii. 28.
The oppyn patent ȝet 1584 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 52.
That all portis of this toun sal be closit … except thre portis … at the quhilk patent portis thair sall be ane daylie wache 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 359.
Patent dores wer maid unto them 1640 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 140.
They sall haue pattent dores open 1674 Argyll. Justic. Rec. 40.
And putting his majesties lawes to executione desired entrie and patent doores to be made to the said houssfig. c1650 Spalding II. 36.
How muche he is obliged to … give a patent eir heirefter to there farder grievances

b. To mak patent duris. To break open a lockfast door by virtue of a warrant from authority. 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 8 Dec.
With power to mak patent duris geif neid beis 1615 Brechin Kirk S. Acts & Ordinances.
Whan susspitione is that pepill hes cloised themselvis within thair house they sall mak patent dores 1662 Forbes Baron Ct. 230.
[He] said he should mak patent doris and tak forth his sheip 1705 Dunkeld Presb. II. 204.
Ane order … to their officers to make patent doors

c. Of a container: Open. 1584 Reg. Privy S. III. 674.
[With power] to mak oppin durris and lokfast lumes patent

2. Of a way or route: That can be passed along; open to all, public.predic. 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 46.
He schawis the way evir patent down to hellattrib. 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 19 Apr.
To cum & wsye the said patent loyne 1661 Old Ross-shire II. 73.
Haveing ane patent passage 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 312.
To open the liggett … being a patent kings street 1695 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1918) 9.
Which is not only vpon the common mercat road … but likewise the patent road to and from England

3. Of any place of resort, as premises, a town, etc.: Open to access (of the public or of persons specified or implied in the context); accessible or public.Also b., accessible (to cattle).predic. 1493 Acta Conc. I. 298/2.
And he do nocht the kingis hienes will mak his chapell be patent and his breuez gevin 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 78.
The wyde hallys wolx patent al infeiris 1551 Reg. Cupar A. II. 71.
Our said place at all tymes salbe patent and reddy to ws 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 299.
That the provestis and baillies … mak the sellaris within thair townis patent to the said prelattis 1565 Ib. 397. 1565 Rec. Earld. Orkney 275.
Provyding allway that … the said plaice … salbe patent to me to pas, repas, and remaine therein 1558-66 Knox I. 441. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 33.
That the toune might be patent to all Scottismen 1571 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1878) Sept. meeting.
Robertis hous of Ancrum salbe patent for the … succour of … subjectis … in caise thay be persewit or in dangeare 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 159.
As alsua all the other townis … presentlie be … maid patent sa that na place thairof salbe withaldin, fortifiit or garnist 1575 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 223.
[To make the lands] woid red and patent frathinfurth of himselff 1579–80 Misc. Spald. C. II. 216.
That all our … presonis … be maid patent and radye to our said constable and his deputtis 1592 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 6 Sept.
[The] sheref deput of Banffe … out put all guddis & gere … & maid the houssis & biggynis patent & fre 1594 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 532.
For closing with timmer ane part of the fauld that was patent to all personis 1611 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 13. 1632 S. Leith Rec. 22.
No seat be lockit after the second bell bot they that dwell in Restalrig and gif they come not at third bell to be patent to any that comes 1639 M. R. James Catal. MSS. Aberd. 124.
That the Keeper of the Librarie … sall make the librarie patent twyse in the weik 1676 Robertson Cullen Ch. Ann. 66.
[That] the church floor betwixt them [sc. pews] and the pulpit should be patent for all concerned 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 348.
This man is off the stage and leaves it open and patent for others 1680 Echt-Forbes Chart. 148. 1681 Wodrow Hist. III. 248.attrib. 1566 Acts Pref.
The Romanis … had thair statutis … writtin in tabillis and fixit in the maist publique and patent places c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii. 30.
The godlie men will do no man bakbyte Nowthair in patent nor in to priue place 1583–4 Bk. Old Edinb. C. IV. 82 n.
To caus hing vp at the Nether Bow and vther patent pairts, the heid [etc.] 1587 Acts III. 508/2.
Ane patent place … quhair thay … sell thair … peces of stuff 1597 Rec. Earld. Orkney 322. 1621 Acts IV. 617/1. 1658 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 242.
Haweing in … thie said universitie ane unsure and unseemely patent place [they] hade resolved … to close it upp with a new fabrickb. 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 602.
To keip his cattell furth of the said wod quhair it is patent to thame

c. Patent presone, ? ‘open prison’, that permits public access to a prisoner. a1538 Abell 51 a.
The lordis … tuik him and put him [the deposed king] in patent presone

d. Open to access more generally, exposed. 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 62.
The barmkyn down we rent And wallis of our cite we maid patent Ib. ix. ii. 81.
The Troianys fra thar strenth He mycht expell, and … Mak thame to ische in patent batale place Ib. xi. xiv. 58.
And syne seyrsis … Quhar he mycht fynd … A place patent to geif hym dedis wond 1533 Bell. Livy I. 90/12.
That the kingdome of Romanis suld nocht alanerlie be patent to vncouth and strange blude, bot als to servandis 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 24.
Duelling in luging patent towart the occident or septentrione far fra corruptioun

e. Maist patent (dure(s, also port(is, ȝett(is, etc.), ? most accessible or public.(Only as a term of style.)sing. 1555 Acts II. 494/1.
The samin precept of warning to be red … and affixit vpone the maist patent dure of the kirk 1569 St. A. Kirk S. 315.
To stand thre Sundaiis … in the maest patent kirk dur of Balmerynocht 1582 Reg. Privy C. III. 471.
Thay have affixt the catholog of thair names upoun the maist patent tolbuith dur 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 20 Aug.
Eftir the said proclamatione the said messinger effext ane copy vpone the maist patent kyrk dure of the said kyrk 1590 St. A. B. Ct. 8 Sept.
The maist patent dwr of the said tenement 1615 Inverness Rec. II. 144. 1642 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III. 40.
Efter they had knokit sex sewerall knoks upoun the maist patent yet of hir said duelling 1643 Banff Ann. I. 90.
Roupit at the maist patent window [of the tolbooth] 1671 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 84 (8 Feb.). 1686 Dunkeld Presb. I. 231. 1700 Cramond Kirk S. IV. 19 Jan.
The session caused the beddle call three severall times at the most patent doore of the church, that if [etc.]plur. 1563 Digest Justiciary Proc. E. 17.
His heid … to be … hungin on the maist patent portis of Edinburgh 1668 Old Ross-shire I. 79.
Efter knocking six severall knocks at their most patent doors 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 121. 1694 Inverness Kirk S. 17.
[To] call at that tym at the most patent doores of the church if ther wer any to object agst them

4. In non-material application: Open to general knowledge or inspection; generally accessible or available; publicly known.(1) 1513 Doug. Exclam. 23.
Lat Virgyll be owr juge Hys wark is patent 1525–6 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 79.
One Fridy neixt to cum or ony daye that is patent for the utilite and proffet of the town a1538 Abell 82 a.
He fundit 15 abbais & 3 bischeppis quhilkis ar patent in the tabill of thaim 1531 Bell. Boece I. xvii.
All the auctouris that hes writtin apon the discription of the warld ar patent and knawin Ib. 85.
His fame wes patent throw all boundis of Albioun Ib. (M) I. 15.
The maneris of priuat estatis nocht bene sa patent as of publik personis 1566 Acts Pref.
To cause publis and make patent the lawis(2) 1541 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 109.
Thai will strik vp thair girnellis and mak the samyn [malt] patent to all persouns of that pryce 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 143. 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 122.
Patant 1666 S. Ronaldshay 53.
That the said kirk register sould be … patent to any that sould intend the further persuite thairof 1672 Acts VIII. 81/1.
[The] bookes of enrolment shall be patent to the leidges

b. Widespread, general. — a1578 Pitsc. I. 15/11.
For slauchtar thift and murther was than patent

5. Open to view, clearly visible, exposed to sight.(1) 1513 Doug. ii. x. 19.
The fyrys schane sa brycht … All thing was patent Ib. ix. viii. 5.(2) 1513 Doug. ii. v. 19.
And Grekis hyd the horssis cost within Patent war maid to sight a1538 Abell 90 b.
His 5 wondis patent till all … bure witnes quhat merit he wes of

b. Of non material things: Exposed to the mental view, manifest, evident, obvious. Also p.p., made clear, expounded. 1460 Newburgh B. Ct. i, etc.
The soyttis callit the curt affirmit the absentis ar patent 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 25.
Thair hyd dissait wolx patent than to ws a1538 Abell i * a.
Thir figuris … coniunyt with a nothir fygur … as it is patent in the sam lyne Ib. 77 a.
All thir ar patent in miraculis schawin aganis wiche craft in the New and Auld Testamentis Ib. 114 a.
The les part of this argument is patent c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6093.
Bot efter this gret jugement All thyng tyll ws salbe patent 1567 Sat. P. vii. 160.
Quhen that the cryme is sa patent That nouther misters juge nor argument 1562-3 Winȝet I. 5/1.
Sen ȝour godly leving … is patent to al man a1568 Bann. MS. 8 b/358.
And thocht the pane appeiris vehement To mak the story to the redaris moir patent I will begin at the discriptioun off Albion 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 3.
But now it is as patent as the sone is at noune day a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 51.
And all my hairt wer patent in hir sicht Then sould scho [etc.]p.p. a1538 Abell 113 b.
The maire part of this argument is patent be doctouris of theologe in thrid buke of sentens

c. Made manifest in sound, audible. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 153.
That thir dolorus spraichis and cryis sall nocht be patent to his ennimes

6. ? Openly declared or manifested, open, public (battle, camp). 1513 Doug. ix. ii. 53.
The … Troianys That durst nocht … Mach with thar fa men in patent bargane Bot hald thame in thar strenthis euery ane 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 16.
Gif I wald treate this argument at sic laser … I shulde enter in ane patent campe

7. Exposed or liable (to harm). 1533 Boece vii. iv. 227.
With the armye … for the tyme patent to iniuris of Vandalis and Sweschis 1533 Bell. Livy II. 3/16.
Beleving sen the fader of this Virginea was absent the place mare patent to iniure 1562-3 Winȝet II. 34/2.
And thairfor war thai mair patent to his byting 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 191/7.
[Indoor pastimes] maye quhyles suplee the roume quhilke being toome ualde be patent to perniciouse ydilteth

8. adv. Openly. = Patently adv. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 155.
Anone Venus increst in matilent That Vesta tuik hir contrair sa patent