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

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

Tent, n.¹ Also: tente, tint, (tat). [ME and e.m.E. tent (Cursor M.), tente (Wyclif), aphetic f. Attent n.¹] Attention, heed, care. a. To tak tent, to pay attention (to something or someone), to take care (to do something), to take notice quhare, gif, etc. Also proverb. Also absol. b. To gefe tent, only in Nisbet after Purvey.a. (1) 1375 Barb. xvi 98.
To the rerward na tent tuk he a1400 Leg. S. ii 225.
Takis tent quhare thai it lay ?1438 Alex. i 126.
With thair swordis to pay ransounis, Thay tuik na tent to tak presounis c1420 Ratis R. 137.
Tak … tent gif thov will thrif c1420 Wynt. viii 183 (C).
A! blynde folk ful of al foly, … Had ȝhe tane tent how [etc.] c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 458.
The ful … takis nocht tent quhat folowis eftir c1460 Regim. Princ. 223.
Wald thou tak tent to thir old storyis a1500 Henr. Deth & Man 28.
Inn my ȝowtheid, allace, I wes full irk, Culd nocht tak tent to gyd and gouerne me c1476 Lennox Mun. 107.
Tak gude tent gif the bref be cryit tyl a certane day or … witht contenuacion of dais a1500 Seven S. 2425.
Sic tent till hir has he tane That he ete litill … Bot on hir merwalit 1490 Irland Mir. II 136/2.
I pray thé … attend and tak als gret tent to the solucioun … of this argument c1490 Irland Asl. MS 43/31.
A persone in his prayere suld haue gret attencioun and thocht … to God to the end & mater that he prayis for … and geve all his mynd be on God and the mater that he prayis for thocht he tak na kepe nor tent to the wordis his prayere is richt vertuos 1524 St. P. Henry VIII IV 127.
Vhare for, my Lord, I pray you not to take tent to every person that vol gyff yow informacyon 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 396.
Gif … the said brig … be our inaduertence or not taking tent therto … brek doun or fall 1533 Boece 519b.
Eftir Alexander had dissoluit his army King Henry taking thareto gude tent … invadit Scotland 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3907 (Ch.).
To the effect thay may tak better tent To saulis vnder thair dominioun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1284.
The erth … wes so plentuous Off fruct … To laubouryng thay tuke lytill tent 1567 G. Ball. 26.
Tak tent and leir How [etc.] 1585 Perth Kirk S. in Spottiswoode Misc. 253.
The bellman to tak tent that no person that receives weekly alms beg at the kirk door 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 146/23.
To haunt whiles your Session, and spie … their proceedings, taking narrow tente if anie bribery may be tried among them 1599–1600 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 59.
He feiritt nocht him, and sa tuk na tent to him ?1661-5 M. Bruce Soul-Confirmation 14.
Take tent of that sirs(b) 1571–2 Inverness Rec. I 211.
The said horse … in fault of tint taking to him hes fundeit(c) 1693 Answ. Presb. Eloq. 66.
God will bark at them, and bite them too, let them tak tatproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1294.
When thy neighbours house is in fyre, tak tent to thy awin a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1416.
Tak tent to your teale, your time is commandabsol. a1400 Leg. S. ii 1107.
Gif we gud tent tak, At gud ensampill can ws mak 1456 Hay I 76/12.
And mony othir mervaillous thingis, quha coud tak tent c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 238.
A man suld tak gud tent quhen he enteris in Godis tempile, and her weill the wordis that ar thar spokyne a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 274.
Tak tent, and kep wele thus teching 1513 Doug. i xii 2.
Thai cessit … With mouthis clos and vissage takand tent 1513 Doug. v vi 35.
Tak tent, frendis, remembir quhat I say 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 354.
So, ȝe, that now bene lansyng vpe the ledder, Tak tent in tyme, fassinnyng ȝour fingaris faste(2) a1500 MS Rawl. Q. b. 4 91b.
This grace quhay so tais tyll tent May be lyknyt to the gude symentb. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. vii 5.
That ye gefe tent to prayere c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Tim. i 4. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Peter i 19.