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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vent, n.¹ Also: went. [e.m.E. vent (1545), vente (1564), vend (1618), F. vente, L. venditus.] a. The action or opportunity of selling, also, to have, mak vent. b. Of a commodity: To have vent, also const. verb to be, to have a market or outlet. c. attrib.a. (1) 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
God … propones … to obserue oportunity in doing of meete tyme and place … according to the document giuen in His censure of the exchange in the temple … For althogh these marchants might be excused through their religious pretence whose vent was to furnish the far land Jewes … Yet for their preposterous choise of the place, they are condemned 1622 Aberd. Council Lett. I 200.
The severall shirefdomes of this kingdome quhair the vent and dispatch of woll is most usuall and necessar(2) 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV 417.
Divers schippis now intending to saill to Burdeaux for hamebringing of wynes … [as nevertheless] thay mak vent and seill of thair wynes in Normandie, Picardie, England and utheris pairtis [etc.] 1662 Conv. Burghs III 557.
Wee ar abl to bring in all the wynes of France … having priviledges thair at easier raitis then they ar able, as lykwys the comodities of the East Cuntries, and so have the whole went of all thesb. 1633 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 85.
The eist cuntreyis whair the natioun commodities of this kingdome hes leist vent such as yrne, pick, tar, timber, lint, hempt and such 1671 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 567.
Wine, cloth, and silks, for which there would be no such vent as is now 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 132.
For so money is brought into the countrey, there is a vent for the wooll, and the poor are employedc. 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I 214.
Intimatting to the factors at Campheir the act of burrowes dischairging thame of all tred and traffecque … And siclyk in causing John Gasone and John Corstorphing indwellers in Campher to desist from keiping ane wenthous thair