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

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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.

Plat, Platt(e, n.² Also: (plantt-, placht). [ME. and e.m.E. plat (14–15th c.), platte, OF. plat n. (14th c. in Littré) flat surface, dish etc., med. L. plattum, f. OF. plat Plat a.: cf. Plate n.¹] = Plate n.¹ in various senses.

1. A flat sheet or slab of metal.b. A flat metal base (of an object). 1569–70 Soc. Ant. VI. 53.
For ingraving of ane platt of bras vpoun my lordis sepulteur … for varnising of the same plaitt 1646 J. Hope Diary (1958) 188.
Plattes of yron 3 inches thicke or therby used in place of a forestonne in a leed herthb. 1594–5 Cal. Sc. P. XI. 559.
[He has brought with him] ane tabernacle of the quantite of the palme of ane hand of gold the platt tharof, and within the crucifix with the history of the Passion fynlie vrocht in imagrie

c. Attrib. in plat throuch lok (see also Throuch n.); cf. Plat-lock and Plate-lok. — 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 127.
Ten plat throutht lokkis the price of the pece xiiii s.

2. Sheet metal: comb. with copper and leid. 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII. 152.
Four score aucht pece of plat coppir weyand [etc.] 1589-1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 22 a.
For plat laid, xii gros 1649 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 184.
Eleven thowsand pound weight or thairby of platte Hungaria copper … the plaitt thairof to be of such thicknes [etc.]

3. A piece of plate-armour. c1475 Wall. vii. 577.
The hardy Scottis … Perssyt plattis with poyntis stiff off steill Ib. viii. 211, x. 854.

4. A household plate or platter; a shallow dish.Also py platt, q.v. 1511 Paterson Ayr & Wigton III. 22.
Pots and pannis and plattis and pewdir weschell 1511 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 377.
Vnacum iiij duodenis plattis iiij duodenis dischis 1525 Wigtown B. Ct. 198 a.
A pedyr placht 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 72.
Twa doubill planttis maid to refraine heit watter in maner of schoufer 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Catinus … a plat or charger 1610 Hist. Kinloss A. xii.
6 persell gilt plattis 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
Of peuter plattis tualfe 1652 J. Hope Diary 153.
[In a dream] his head appeared … in the floore upon a platte or table sueeming in blood 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 114.
That night the oubliour was their and she would not send another plat 1672 Haigs of Bemersyde 474.
Of platts, being puder Ib. 475.
Lemp lats 1689 Cramond Kirk S. III. 26 Dec.
A hollow baptisme platt 1692 Ib. 7 Jan.
A baptisme platt

5. a. A flat roof. b. A landing (on a stair). = Platform(e n. 1 c. 1638 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 410.
They find the steipill head suld be ruiffit and theikit with leid, avisand quither or no it suld be a platt or a upstanding ruiff as abefoir 1649 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 184.
For bigging a pair of guid lairge staires … with large platts to serve the second and thrid stories 1701 Cramond Kirk S. IV. 23 July.
That … entry to his said upper loft be by a scale staire … stretching northward and landeing by ane platte above the lower doore

6. a. Silver or gold vessels, collectively. 1568 Buch. Indict. 39.
Sche causit all the plat and siluer weschell … to be takin fra hym 1586–7 Cal. Sc. P. IX. 266.
The silver platt that did service me with the naprye that [etc.] 1624 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 503.
I will vnto the said Mr. Maxuell so mutche plat as salbe of trew value of ane hundreth pundis sterling 1682 Edinb. B. Rec. XI. 38.
A horse race to be run at Leith … for a pice of silver plat

b. Bullion. 1639 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 113.
[To] pay for everie vnce of English silver plat fyftie seven s. 9 d. Scottis money and for everie vnce of Scottis plat 55 s. 6 d. money foirsaid

c. Plat-werk, = a above. 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 32.
[To bring to the Mint] all sortis of gold and sylvir ayther in plat werk or cunyie 1580 Ib. 284.