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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Point, Poynt, v.¹ Also: puynt; pynt; Punct. [ME (Manning) and e.m.E. poynte(n, point, OF pointer ‘to prick, mark with pricks or dots’ f. point n. Point n.¹ and ‘to furnish with a point’ f. pointe n. Point n.², med. L. punctare.]

1. tr. a. ? To provide (a garment) with a pointed or angular edge (? to its lower front). 1473 Treas. Acc. I 55.
Fra Dauid Quhitehed j½ elne of vellus to be Bell a paire of sleifis … and to poynt his jaket, price elne xlv s. 1508 Ib. IV 23.
For x½ elne wellus to be ane pointit cote to the king … Item, v½ elne clath of gold to poynt the samyn [coat]

b. To fasten up hose to the upper garment by means of points (Point n.² 3). a1568 Bann. MS. 158 b/73.
Be his hois be pointtit vp and schone on his feit [etc.]

2. tr. To pack the spaces between stones, slates or other adjoining parts of a building with mortar, pressed home with the point of a trowel; to point (a building or part of one) in this way.(a) 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 528.
For iij dosane of lyme and vj dosane of sand to poynt the palais 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 309.
To ane sklater to fynd lyme, sand, and sklatts to poynt and mend all the fyve mylnis 1567 Liber Dryburgh 403.
For ane sclateris expenssis mendand and pointand my lordis chalmer in Driburgh the gallorie and trance the space of sex days … xxiiij s. 1573–4 Day-bk J. Kyle fol. 4 b.
Lyme to poynt the tolbuith the townis hous & the kirk style 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 563.
For to poynt the seames of the asler wark at … the new kirk 1595 Aberd. B. Rec. II 114. 1599 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 318.
For … wadges to the decounes man that poyntit the windowis 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I 266. 1614 R. Brown Paisley I 197.
The brig be poynted in deu tyme of the year 1628 Linlithgow B. Rec. 2 May.
The kirk to be sichtit how the samyn is presentlie pointit and drest 1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 194.(b) 1680 Cramond Ch. Grange 35.
A scleater to be sought for to pynt the church

3. a. intr. To point at or to, to indicate (something) by directing the hand or finger towards it; also, to call attention to, more generally. c1420 Wynt. iii 866.
Thai wywys … poyntyt to thaire prewa gere That betwene thaire lymys stude c1475 Wall. viii 291.
Til him thai ȝeid … On athir sid fast poyntand at his ger 1604 Craig in Fugitive Poetry II i 7/22.
Then should we not bin poynted at for … disgrace

b. tr. To indicate or call attention to, by pointing; to point out. lit. and fig. c1420 Wynt. viii 2931.
Here Wyntown poyntis in this dyte Quhat he gert off this tretis wryt 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 211.
Efter his out-cuminge of the kirk [he] poyntit the graues and stwid aboue thame

c. To point (one's hand). c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 386.
Pointand thair hand with mony skorne & knak

4. To point out or furth. a. ? To mark out, as from a list, or ? to call attention to. b. To direct attention to. 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi 7.
And men therof as doubill tratouris demit, And taxit with so mony schamfull blot, So poyntit out, and from all faithfull flemit 1589 Lett. Jas. VI to Bruce 280.
Ye pointed out … your honest meaning to my seruice 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I 145.
Amang mony that occurrit I sall poynt out unto you fyue or sax circumstances quhilk [etc.]

c. ? To ‘embroider’ or falsify the truth so as to escape censure.? With allusion to use of the needle in embroidery. 1669 Jus Populi 467.
What tendency, I pray, hath any thing that is asserted in these books to the introduceing of Popery? His needle head shall never be able to poynt this forth

5. ? To read, or ? write, music (see Point n.¹ 1 b, Punct n.¹ 1 c), or ? to mark a text for chanting with points. a1538 Abell 120 a.
Mony of thare barnis can weill reid and writ sing and puynt

6. ? To appear at the top or upper corner of (a list of names, i.e. as the dux). — 1697-1707 D. Hume Accompt of Estate 7.
I defended the theses at the laureation, and the Viscount of Kingston was one that impugned. I pointed the broad de Quadratura Circuli