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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spot, Spott, n. Also: spot(t)e. [ME and e.m.E. spotte (a1200), spot (a1340), spote (14th c.), MDu. spotte, spot, LG spot, ON spotti (spottr).]

1. Moral stain, blemish, stigma, disgrace, chiefly of something.(1) c1420 Wynt. iv 2350 (C) (see (2) below). 1494 Loutfut MS 40a.
Heuses … signifies at he that first bure thaim in armes wes a man trauailland in vaillance and kepit him fra ony spot of villane dedis 1531 Bell. Boece I 34.
The Scottis hes ay inviolatly kepit the Cristin faith, but ony spot of heresy 1533 Boece 571b.
The Emprioure Henry … defendit his dignite but spot or makill of dishonour 1551 Hamilton Cat. 122.
All the deformiteis and spottis of syn, quhilk blekkis our saule 1562-3 Winȝet I 11/19.
Preseruing … thy bewtifull body and saule fra al spot of notorius cryme a1568 Bell. Bann. MS 2a/70.
To purge the spot of syn originall 1596 Dalr. II 466/12.
Monie ecclesiastik persounis, quha appeiringlie war asperget with the spotis of auarice and pleasures 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 524.
The perpetuall spott of perjurie dew to thame for thair violatioun of the said assuirance(2) c1420 Wynt. iv 2324.
Cesare … off hys gowne a lap tuk thare, And cuveryd befor hys eyne bare, And wytht his left hand he held downe The nethir lape … Behynd lauch, that nane suld se Spot, fylth [C. spot of filthe], or wnhoneste Behynd, in till his down fallyng 1513 Doug. i Prol. 50.
Virgile … Thy wark sall endur in lawd and glory But spot or falt a1538 Abell 71a.
Be his ways als Malcolme prince of Northumbirland wes distroyit be wennum and sa he put ane spot in his fame that his sone suld succeid to him and nocht he 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 152/9.
I will desyr Spottiswod … that he tak nocht that spot to him … bot he mak ane confutatioun to oure confirmatioun of the sacrifice of Mes 1562-3 Winȝet I 7/15.
Geue ony spote or blek be in the lauchfull ordination of our pastores 1567 G. Ball. 149.
My precius body pure, Sa clene from sin and spot 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 572.
I will that ȝe do nathing quhairthro ony spot may be layit to my honor or conscience 1580 Reg. Privy C. III 281.
His guidsire, his fader, and himself, hes faithfullie servit his hienes and his progenitouris … without spot or reproche 1616 Reg. Privy C. X 656.
Thir … subjectis … do testifie befoir God and the warld, that … thay ar favoraris of the saidis lymmaris … so thay do leave a foull, infamous, and ignominious spott upoun thame, thair housis, and posteritie

2. A spot or disfiguring mark, a blemish or stain, chiefly on the skin of a person or animal. Also const. of the substance, etc. causing the mark.(1) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 339.
Thy lustie lyre ouirspred with spottis blak And lumpis haw appeirand in thy face a1500 K. Hart 11.
In all his lusty lecam nocht ane spot 1492 Myll Spect. 272/31.
As the filth or [sp]ottis of the face schawis in the myrrour of glas c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlviii 152.
The Ros … Fro the stok ryell rysing fresche and ȝing But ony spot or macull 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Naevis, ane spot on the body 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 250.
Be gewing to him of poysoun … quhairby his face, nek, handis and haill body, brak out in reid spottis 1579, 1617 Despauter (1617) 18.
Spotte 1650 Brechin Presb. 40.
Ther cam by a stranger woman and said the horse has gotten a blast of ill wind, and when his skin shall be taken off it would have a black spott quher he had gotten the stroke 1662 Highland P. III 17.
Quhilk day Kat Moore was tried [sc. for the mark] and it was found undernethe her richt shoulder a little whyt unsensible spott(2) 1533 Boece 287b.
Persaving nowder spiritis nor aynd, bot fynding his body examinate horribly flekkit with spottis of the poysoun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2448.
None spott of fyre distenyng cote nor goun

b. A stain, a piece of dirt. 15.. Wyf Awcht. 28 (K).
Some spottis in the house ye man out spy

3. A (small) mark of a different colour from the main surface, a spot on a piece of fabric or the skin of an animal, etc. Also transf. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 260.
Hir gyte was gray, and full of spottis blak 1494 Loutfut MS 30b.
Basilique is a fische in maner of a serpent … he is of gretnes vi fut … And has quhit spottis & creste as a cok to the myddis of his body 1535–6 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 160.
The hog … hes my byrne and ane blak spot one the for hauch 1662 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 151.
[5 oxen of the] kyndis spotes age and cullors that they ar presentlie at the mercat crocetransf. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 292.
The countrey … ouercled heere and there with spots of sheepe and goates

4. A small area or extent of land. Chiefly in place and personal names. 1153–65 Liber Melros I 8.
Sciant omnes … me … dedisse et concessisse … Hertesheued et Spot per suas rectas diuisas inter se & inter Steintun [etc.] 1367 Reg. Great S. (1814) 58/1.
Totum pratum quod vocatur Medeuspot 1450 Reg. Dunferm. 314.
Magistro Georgio Schoriswood rectore de Cultre domino Niniano Spot capellano a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 269.
This Corspatrik … The battall syne of Spottismuir he gart caus 1567 Reg. Privy S. V ii 393/2.
Octo acras terrarum cum lie battis lie spottis prati — 1539 Prot. Bk. Sir J. Cristisone 65.
[The grain which grew in the] Spotte haucht 1578 Aberd. Chart. 339.
Ordanis the spott of brunt land on the south syd of the mos of the Gardyne to ly ley in commontie