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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.

Stent, n.¹ Also: stenth, sta(i)nt, stint. [ME and e.m.E. stente (Wyclif), stent (c1460), stynte (Malory), steynte (1502), stint (1568), OF estente (in Godefroy); Extent n. Cf. also ME and e.m.E. stint an allotted measure, portion.]

1. a. An extent or quantity of something. b. The extent or compass (of a piece of land). Cf. Stent v.¹ 7.a. 1460 Hay Alex. 7102.
The king … sittand in goldin trone With stentis of gold on all sydis and abone 1460 Hay Alex. 9382.
Thare pleinettis and thir sternes Quhilkis vnder grete God ledis and governes All thingis that nature makis of elementis And knawis alhale of nature all the stentisb. 1437 Reg. Dunferm. 285.
That the gate liand betuix the said Daudis orchard & his westir oxgang … be commoun … Alsua the land liand betuix the eftir oxgang & the orchard … & the march of cauil comon to bath the partis Alsua bath the partis sel kepe lauchful stent & noth excede 1476 Acta Aud. 53/1.
That the said Johne … sal restore again … the said xxx ky & oxin spulȝeit & takin out of the said twa part landis of Ochell like as wes previt … that the said Sir William and his tenandis occupiit bot to the stent of the said twa part

2. A valuation. a. Of land or property, esp. as a basis for a person's rights or obligations, liability for tax, etc.; also, a record of the ownership of land. b. Of church pews.a. 1535 Stewart 6108.
He … Mark Terebell … Hes constat him his victogall … For to collect his tribute and his rent, And to distribut dalie to his stent [L. Marcum antem Terebellium publici census creauit procuratorem] 1580–1 Reg. Privy C. III 346.
That all complineris gif in thair dittais … to the effect that the personis complenit upoun may be arreistit or thair maisters … chargit to present thame in dew tyme … And to the effect that the said justice … may the bettir understand quhom to charge for the entrie of the personis complenit upoun that be advise of the schireffis … of the schires within the wardenrie thair be a stent and retour of all landis within the same maid 1608 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 48.
The abusing of the comone mure … and taking thairof greater quantities of … turffis and paittis nor thair stent bears 1637 Acts Sederunt ii 49.
The sum of 11 pennies … furth of ilk twenty shillings of maill quhilk sall be payit be the said members of the colledge of justice for thair houses chambers and buiths occupied and possessit be tham or utherwise according to the same proportion effeirand to the stent of the houses, chambers or buiths possessit be tham 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 102.
Anie volunteir … shall have … deduction aff thair proportion of horss for the recerve, according to a trowper for each sex thousand merks rent, provyding that, … they be obliged to furneish thair due proportion of horss, according to thair stent 1640 Spalding I 331.
It is appointit … that all the heritouris … send in thrie men weill armed and furnished with 40 dayis loan, according to the commoun ordour, and conforme to there stentisb. 1647 J. Lee Hist. Ch. Scotl. App. ii 399.
Robert Sharp … gave in to the ministers and elders … a stent of the haill particular seats and classes within the new loft buildit by him … [ninety four sittings were stented or estimated at £403 3 s. 1 d.] … likewise in case the said seats shall be long in selling the said Robert shall have power to take annual rent therefor

3. An (usu. monetary) exaction imposed by an authority, specif. and chiefly an ad hoc tax imposed by the burgh or craft upon those liable for payment. b. With specification of the purpose of the impost.(1) 1483 Seal of Cause Haddington Hammermen in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 104.
All persones admittit … thairto sall pay scat and lot taxt and stent 1511 Reg. Privy S. I 349/1.
Exemand him of all walking, warding, paying of taxt, stent or contribution … within Edinburgh or utwith 1549 Elgin Rec. I 96. 1550 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. I 17.
That all persons … that uses the said craft pays scot and lot taxt and stent to be taxed and gaderit be the masters of the samen craft 1558 Digest Justiciary Proc. B 147.
William Monteith … walkis wairdis & pays stent with the vtheris burgesis 1567 Reg. Privy S. V ii 380/1.
Providing alwayis that thai beir chairgis in payment of stent within burgh as nychtbouris dois a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 445/31.
That on thi lieges taxatioun nor stent Be newir raisit be vnlauchtfull menis 1571 Sempill in Sat. P. xxviii 100.
Of euerie pleuch I tuik fyue pund of stent 1598 St. A. Kirk S. 859.
Ane stent suld be maid for helping of the puir … partlie be voluntar offer and pairtlie be stent upon the neychtbouris, conform to the roll thairof 1655 Stitchill Baron Ct. 2.
William Nizbet factor of the said Barony to desyde all matters … and to impose stent 1682 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 48.
Therfore they ordaine that the saids expens and charges shall be yearly layed upon stent 1688 Misc. Bann. C. II 294.
Collectoris of stent(2) 1490 Lanark B. Rec. 7.
Item, for the redding of the stent, v li. xij s. vj d. 1510 Edinb. Hammermen 71. 1516 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 37.
That the remanent of the last stent to be gaderit betuix this and Sondaye nixt 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 487.
To accept the charge … in setting the said stent upoun the nychtbouris of ilk burgh 1594 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 71b.
Donald McCardich Roy persewis … Dow for xxv s. moneth for the stent of his gudis 1620 Aberd. Council Lett. I 186.
The paying of the stentis and taxationis 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 39.
The said … counsell … ordanes the said stent to be delayed and continoued till the moneyes borrouit be the magistrats of this burghe fra the nichtbouris within the same be … payit 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 108.
That the former rule and proportioun vsit and observit in former stentis be dewlie keipit 1651–2 Peebles B. Rec. II 191.
Item, for peper and candill at the breacking of the stent for coale and candill, 4 s. 1670 Edinb. B. Rec. X 75.
There wes many of the nighbors pressing upon him to take leg dollers for the stent 1670 Kingarth Par. Rec. 59.
Ordains Thomas M^cArtour to be payd for dressing the kirk out of the rediest of the stent 1678 Forbes Baron Ct. 321.
This stent to be onlj for this terme … and noveyes to be ane preparateiv in tyme coming 1680 Spirit of Popery out of the Mouths of Phanatical Protestants 16.
I … leave my testimony against the stent taxation cess that hath been so unjustly imposed 1685 Inverness Rec. II 330.
Ane post to be hyred to go to Edr. with the thrie moneths stent(b) 1522 Wigtown B. Ct. 126a.
Gilbert M^cCayne sais that he will nocht mak na deluerans of the stenth(c) 1558–9 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 58.
Johnne Watsoun [etc.] … seytand one ane stant the secound quarter of the gret stant the quhilk it is hordenyt that all the laif of the craft syt one elk stant(d) 1655 Instruct. Justices Peace 16.
[The] overseers are to demand … from … every person in the … parish according to the said stint or tax 1678 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 94.
Everie man … that is owing thaire bypast stints shall be poyndit untill these persones paye their particullare stint unto the baillies(3) 1548 Edinb. Hammermen 176b.
Item giffin to the officiaris to teche thame that wald nocht pay ther stent & taxation 1570–1 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 89.
Thar wantis of the menestars stent [£4 10 s. 8 d.] 1575 Carrick Baillie Ct. 2 June.
To … pay … the sowme of tuenty merkis xiij s. iiij d. for the rest of his stentis wiccarage teindis [etc.] 1578 Glasgow B. Rec. I 73.
Thai ar fremen and hes payit thair stentis quhen thai occurrit 1674 Alford Rec. 219.
The nixt stent of the parochine for reparatione of the church(4) 1531 Bell. Boece I 176.
Becaus his rentis and treasour wes nocht sufficient … he desirit ane generall stent to be tane throw the realme, of ilk person eftir his faculte 1574 Aberd. B. Rec. II 11.
To imput ane gryt stent, contributioune, and taxatioune upon this burght 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 293.
Thaj wairdit the maist ritche men becaus thaj refuissit to pay ane stent to the regent 1587 Crim. Trials I ii 156.
As thair landis ar subiect to ane stent by the stent of the burght 1588 Glasgow B. Rec. I 121.
The commoun guidis of the toun … debursit be thaim throw the occasioun of the last pest … and … vtheris grite stentis and chargis cumit vpon thame sensyne quhairthrow … the commoun guidis is nocht able to releiff the samyn 1598 St. A. Kirk S. 859 (see (1) above). 1623 Misc. Maitl. C. II 194.
The quhilk day … efter ane exact enumeratioun of the pennylandis within the said earldome of Orknay and collectioun of fyve schillingis for ilk penny land … fand that the fyve schillingis upliftit wald not amount to the soume dew … and thairfore … aggreit that sex schillingis sould be upliftit … quhill the nixt terme that ane mair strict stent be maid 1628 Broxmouth & Pincarton Baron Ct. 20 Nov.
Anent the setting of a stent of guidis vpone the grund of the lynx of Broxmouth 1643 Boyd Fam. P. 31 Jan.
All stents … to be imposit vpoun the saidis lands … ather be kirk or king 1670 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 22.
The court hath past and forgivine James Hendrie and Allexander Baxster for the said James Hendries service and the officer service to the court of personall stents 1683 Alyth Par. Ch. 131.
[The session called for] a voluntar stent upon the plows of the paroche, wiz: that evrie plowgh bring six load of stons for the churche yeard dyks 1684 Law Memor. 138.
Hamilton also consenting to a stent, and obtains a summ of twenty-five hundred thousand pund Sterling, to be lifted in five yeirs tyme, to be laid upone the kingdome by an act of this convention(b) 1563 Pittenweem Ann. 5.
And offerit to sustein taxtis, stenthis and uther portable charges amangis the remanent burrois(c) 1549 Waus Corr. 8.
Notwithstanding ony acts of parliament, lettres, chairges, staintis, or proclamationis in the contrar 1558–9 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 58 (see 2 (c) above.(d) 1678 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 97.
Ane stint to be layde on on the toune quhilk wes twentie pennies upon everie aiker of land(5) 1428 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI 143.
Item the stent off Flanderis lxv s. iiij d. 1561 Inverness Rec. I 57.
Saying … that he disponit the salt quhilk wes in Stewyn Stewynson merchand in fleschyn schyp by the ordinance and stent of the bruch 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 85.
To the stenttoures of the tounes stent 1590 Glasgow Burgesses 20. 1608 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 28.
Persones electit for stenting of ther nichtbouris for the kingis stentb. (1) 1531 Bell. Boece I 176.
Galdus, that recoverit his realme, desirit nevir stent of thaim for na maner of chargis that he sustenit … knawing weil how odious it was to the pepil, to seik ony new exactionis on thaim 1564 J. Lee Hist. Ch. Scotl. App. ii 393.
The Queen authorised the magistrates to lay a stent or extent on the inhabitants for the support of the poor and the ministers 1569–70 Waus Corr. 69.
The lordis … kest ane stent amangis thame for uptakin of men of weir 1590 Aberd. B. Rec. II 67.
The stent … sett and imposit … for furthtrigging and furnesing of the said schip 1597 Misc. Maitl. C. I 88.
Anent the stent maid for the reparatioun of the said kirk 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I 241.
Sindrie persounis … quha will not pay thair stent for releif of the proveist 1633–4 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 139.
Ane constant stent … to be payed … as ane … setled stipend for mantenance of the said … scholemaisteris 1643 Soc. Ant. IV 481.
Ane thousand pundis of stent imposit upon the heritours … for repairing of the said kirk 1670 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 24.
[They] lay on a stent upon those housses about the chaplanrie for rectifieing and ordering a way for payeing of this present sowme(2) 1534–5 Ayr B. Acc. 72.
To fill furth the stent with to the Quenys hayme bringyng, [£3 11 s.] 1571 Reg. Privy C. II 90.
That na maner of persoun of the inhabitantes of Edinburgh … pay stent or furneis money to the saidis rebellis … under cullour of saulffiing thair geir 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 336.
For the quhilk caus, the toun of Edinburgh gawe ane compositioun and stent to the regent, to that effect that thaj mycht remayne at hame 1598 St. A. Kirk S. 850.
Adverteisment to the neychtbouris to bring in thair stent to the puir 1598 St. A. Kirk S. 858.
That in respect … the victuall is becum of ane esiar price nor it wes at laitlie, the puir folkis stent be diminished 1635 Peebles Gleanings 202.
To seik advyse anent the tounis parte of the kirk stent 1642 Carnock Kirk S. in Row xx.
A stent on every kirk, quhairby a burser might be intertened at the new college of Santandrous 1659 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 228.
[7 l. Scots] for a stent of repairing of the kirk of Melros 1668 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 15.
To be collectore unto the forsaid stent annent payeing of the souldeors(3) 1547 Edinb. Hammermen 173.
For stent to fe the men off were 1559–60 Ayr B. Acc. 33.
Ane stent … to furneis men of weir to Leithe

c. specif. In Orkney: The proportion of butter skat that was exacted in kind.‘It is always specified as a weight—1 lispund of butter being taken out of every span of butter skat.' Marwick The Orkney Norn. See also Marwick Orkney Farm-names 196, 198 ff. 1492 Marwick Orkney Farm-names 197.
And give God send butter or uly attour the stent thai sould give it in thair detts upon the auld price 1502 Orkney Rentals i 5.
Toftis j d. terre pro rege an^t in butter scat vij d. Jam tantum Inde stent viij merk 1502 Orkney Rentals i 10.
Deldale … Summa de stent xiiij leisp half leisp 1503 Orkney Rentals i 26.
Kirkbustar ix d. terre an^t in butter scat iij span viz. richt scat jam tantum inde stent ix leisp. & heir iiij merk makis the d. terre … Et in land ij d. terre conqueist per comitem an^t in male [etc.]

4. Share, portion.1525 quot. may belong in 3 above. 1527 Wigtown B. Ct. 183b.
The borrow hed covrt of Vycthovne … Thome M^cCristyne to Done Stovinsone schallans fore the wrangus haldyng fra hyme of a styrk & vi povnd of stent 1579 Inverness Rec. I 273.
Donald Fraysser confessit to haif sauld the salt quhilk he rasauit as his stent of the schippes

5. A reckoning, list or roll (of persons, etc.). b. In stent, appar. specifying an amount, = summa. c. The number of animals allowed a tenant for pasturage on common land. Cf. SND Stent n.³ 4. 1640 Misc. Spald. C. V 228.
Men … to go vpon service … euerie man … according to the roll … and that this order be still keipit … so long as the country is not inpeace, as lykvayis quhen the hail stent of sogers is maid vp, the nixt figur must furnisch ane hors [etc.] 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 113.
Twelve horse on each side to be the stint of their number on each side, which they could not exceedb. 1524 Edinb. Hammermen 114.
Item gevin to Huchone Wallas for a man and ane half [sic] that tyme my lord Arrane maid the raid apon the theifis in stent summa xxij s. vj d.c. 1691 Musselburgh 53.
The saids baillies and Counsell statutes and enacts that nae fleshers heirefter within the burgh or liberties keep more nolt or sheep upon the commone ground or stuble at any tyme of the year then the ordinarie stent as ane burges, under the paines formerly enacted theranent 1700 Stitchill Baron Ct. 146.
Anent a regulation for the sowmes in the Maynes: That whereas it is allowed to the possessors in the said Maynes to put thereon a certain stent of the sheip … that no tennent … put more sheip upon his possession than what amounts to the halfe of his sowmes conform to the stent and number of sheip for each soum that is aggryed to by the severall possessors therof 1705 Stitchill Baron Ct. 155.
Allowing the possessors of fourth parts in the Maynes to put on sheip upon their grass in place of a cow according to the common stent if they think fit

6. A document, prob. relating to one of the above senses. 1625 Haddington Corr. 145.
I haue sent yow heir inclosed the stent quhich your lordship directed me to get from the clark of this toune

7. ? An occasion of setting of a stent or tax or of valuing (land or property). 1652 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 916.
That everie counsallour and stentour that absentis them selffs from the meetings of counsallis and stentis in laufull terme efter advertisment sall pay for everie brek … twelff shillings Scottis

8. attrib. and comb. With dewties, geir, silver; butter, oil (see 3 c above); gedderairis, makeris, bookis; making.(1) 1663 Stitchill Baron Ct. 28.
The haill tenants of this Barrony are judicially decerned and ordained to pay their said mailles and stent-dewties within Mertimas last bypast — 1573 Lanark B. Rec. 69.
Has ordanit the stent geir to the last red quhilk wes upon the theifes — 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 21.
Robert Levinston folloit in court Thom Portuis for the vrangus haldin fra him [of] iij s. of stent siluer 1526–7 Stirling B. Rec. I 29.
To mak compt … of the stent silver of the caragh hors silver the tyme the governour passit to the houst to Ingland 1615 Glasgow Weavers 75.
The maisteris grantis and assignis to thame the haill stent silvir(2) 1492 Marwick Orkney Farm-names 197.
How the stent butter was payit in auld tymes of Pappay & Westra 1623 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 90.
Ane kinking of stent butter four merk pryce x s. viij d. — 1595 Orkney Rentals ii 96.
Sandwick 6 d. terra udal, in stent oil 6 lisp. 1614 Orkney Rentals ii 130.
Kirbister 6 d. terre, uthell, in stent ully 2 ls. 16… Orkney Rentals v 24.(3) 1697 Glasgow Stent Bk. Pref.
The magistrates and Counsell appoints the stent masters to lay upon the valued rent of houses and land … eight per stent of each hundred of valued rent according to ane rental insert in the stent-bookes — 1535 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 153.
This inquest abone vryttin puttis all regratouris, blasphemaris of our taxt and stent geddarrairis in our aldermannis and bailyeis handis to be punyst — 1613 Glasgow B. Rec. I 337.
Sindrie … quha … haif blasphemit the stent makeris(4) 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 683.
Anent the assisting contributioun and stent making in tyme bypast