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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.

Pointing, Poyntin(g, vbl. n.¹ Also: poyntinge, poyntting; pwyntting, pvynteinge; pyntyene, pyntteng. [Late ME (c 1410) and e.m.E. poyntyng(e, -ing, pointing, north. e.m.E. puyntyng (1502–3), f. Point v.¹ Cf. also Puncting.]

1. Poynting of a prene, pin-pricking, pin-prick, as a type of a very minute area.Cf. Pointure n. a. a1500 K. Hart 127.
That no man micht the poynting of ane prene Repreve, nor pece bot payntit at devyse

2. The action of pointing with mortar (Point v.¹ 2). b. attrib.(1) 1488 Treas. Acc. I 89.
To a sclatar for the poyntin of al the place off Stirling, and for sclaytis that wantit and lyme 1507–8 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 249.
Poynting [of my lords lodging in Edinburgh with lime and sand, 40 s.] 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 71.
For poynting of ix rudis werk upon the saidis kechingis 1532 Ib. 112. 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 348.
For poynting of the glassin windokis on the haill south syde of the kirk afoir Pasche Ib. 350. 1554–5 Ib. 356.
Poyntting 1555–6 Ib. 318.
For the pointing of … the fleschehous, for sclatis, lyme and sarkin 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 448.
Gevin to ane masoun for raggaling glas pointing and in putting of the greit irne work 1573–4 Day-bk. J. Kyle fol. 4 b.
For poynting of the tolbuith 1597 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 146. 1606 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 22.
For ten laid of sand to the lyme for pointing the tolbuith 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 110.
For poynting and beamfilling the haill leidis in the castell 1622–3 Ib. 144.
To the Inglisman and his man that did dres lyme and hair and did furneish it to the pointing of the great lead heidis at Edinburgh castell 1640 Boharm Kirk S. 2 Aug.
Convened with John Mcbey, sclaiter, for poyntinge the kirk and reparinge of it for 20 mks. 1648 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 74. 1681 Highland P. I 318.
For poynting 17 rood on the old hall(b) 1553 Banff Ann. I 31.
To the sklaitter for the pwyntting of the haill kirk and choir 1562 Edinb. Hammermen 217.
For sklateinge & pvynteinge of the Magdelen chapel(c) 1558 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 296.
The enteres of Johan Grame sclatter for the mendeng thekein and pyntyene now work and ald work in the castel of Sterweleng Ib.
For pyntteng and dyecteng of the foir waill(2) 1527 Exch. R. XV 351.
Pro reparatione palatii de Falkland viz. in lie poynting et omnibus necessariis 1562 Reg. Privy S. V i 263/1.
Gife ony faltis be fundin to be mendit … of gretare quantitie nor ane elne viz. haill pointing rude or half rude to mend the saminb. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 188.
With the haill poynting werk of the samyn 1539–41 Ib. (ed.) I 290.
For pointing and beting of the auld chalmeris … ilk ruid pointing werk ii s. iiii d.

3. concr. Material for making ‘points’ or laces (Point n.² 3), pointing silk or pointing lace. 1646 Edinb. Test. LXI 303.
Half ane gross of silk poynting at xiiij s. vj d. the peice

4. Pointing-studie.Cf. Eng. dial. (S. Worc.) pointing-stethe ‘an old-fashioned appliance used by smiths for pointing horse nails’ (EDD). 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII 256.
Ane pointing studie price xx s.