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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.

Prent, v. P.t. and p.p. prentit etc., prent. [ME and late ME prente(n (1340–70), prent, thereafter appar. only Sc., MDu., Du., MLG, LG prenten f. prent(e Prent n. Cf. Print.] To print.

1. tr. a. To form by pressure on a yielding surface, to impress, stamp (a mark or hollow) (on (in) the ground). 1513 Doug. vi iii 78.
He prentit baith his futsteppis in the erd [L. vestigia pressit] Ib. x vi 22.
Lat euery barge do prent [L. premat] hir self a dok

b. To stamp or engrave (a mark, outline, etc.) in or on (any surface). 1513 Doug. vi iii 150.
Eneas tho gart vp erekkit be A sepultur, … In takynnyng of the mannys instrumentis, Ane ayr and eik a trumpet tharon prentis [L. imponit] c1590 J. Stewart 78/201.
Thair amorus consent Quhilk proper poyntit pensile haid done prent On fontans, rocks [etc.] 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Imprimo, inuro, to prent in

c. fig. To direct intently (one's gaze) (to the ground). 1513 Doug. vii iv 131.
Hys syght onmovyt to the erd dyd he prent [L. haeret]

2. To impress a mark on (a thing) by a die, stamp, brand or otherwise, to stamp. 1485 Acta Conc. I *117/1.
Gilbert prentit the said irnis of our said soueran lordis commande 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 1.
To the bailye Jhone Setoun to ryd to Edinburgh to get ane yrin to prent the stoppis 1598 Acts IV 185/1.
Quhilk seill and stamp salbe applyit to leid, being sua strukin and prentit with the said stamp [etc.]

3. To manufacture (coinage, or bullion into coinage) by forming the impressions on it by striking or pressing with dies. 1469 Acts II 97/1.
Bot oure souerane lordis awne blac mone strikkin & prentit be his cunȝouris 1489 Ib. 221/2.
That thare be a trew substancius man maid maister of the money & cunȝe quhilk sall forge and prent mony 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 93.
Sum penys furth a pan boddum to prent fals plakkis 1531 Bell. Boece I 195.
King Donald was the first king … that prentit [L. signauit] ane penny of gold or silver Id. Livy II 135/9.
Becaus na siluer was as ȝit prentit [L. signatum] in Rome, thay cunȝeit grete sovmes of brasin money 1546–7 Reg. Privy S. III 348/1.
Full power … to stryke and prent ane ducat of gold 1567 Acts III 29/1.
That our souerane lord … may cause prent and cunȝe gold and siluer of sic fynes as vtheris cuntreis dois 1579 Ib. 150/1. 1591 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 230.
Quhat free proffeit his majestie will ressave upone ilk stane wecht being affynit and prentit

b. To stamp (a coin) with a mark; to stamp (a mark) on a coin or coins.(1) a1578 Pitsc. II 128/2.
All cunȝie of money struckkin within the realme may be prentit thairwith(2) 1531 Bell. Boece I 195.
On the ta side of this money was prentit [L. expressa] ane croce

4. To print (a book, literary work, etc.).pres. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 299.
Thy name and fame in chronik & scriptour I sall gar prent 1551 Acts II 489/1.
That na prentar presume … to prent ony bukis, ballattis, sangis [etc.] … vnto the tyme [etc.] 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 144/1. 1576 Ib. VII 94/1. 1596–7 Crim. Trials II 2.
To prent all the Actis of Parliament 1599 Acts IV 187/1. 1652-3 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 360 (see Prent adj.).p.p. (a) 1513 Doug. i Prol. 139.
Wilȝame Caxtoun … hes prent ane buke of Inglys gros(b) 1533 Gau 109/29.
Prentit in Malmw Be me Ihone Hochstraten 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1146 (Bann.). a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cv 4.
All lesingis … Thai put in writt and garris thame be prentit 1568 Charteris Lyndesay Pref. Adhort. 86.
His expressit mynd in poetrie Prentit as he it publischit with his pen 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 155/29.
It aucht ather to haue bene vryttin or prentit c1600 Montg. Suppl. iv 20.
The … musiciane Wald sett and caus it to be prentit 1603 James VI in Ellis Orig. Lett. 1 Ser. III 78.
I sende you herewith my booke latelie prentid 1625 Aberd. Council Lett. I 237.

b. intr. Of a person: To print books. 1622-6 Bisset I 71/7.
Ane callit Chopman, first began to prent in Scotland Ib. marg.
He … deuysed the prentting ink and caused first prent in the toun of Mentis

5. P.p. (Leat) prentit: ? fig. use of sense 2 or sense 3, or transf. use of sense 4 (= described in print as). 1571 Bann. Trans. 186.
To compair my self with sic ane leat prentit gentleman manifestlie knowin to have comitted … dyvers traysonis and takin out of the galeis to be kepit to the gallous

6. fig. a. To ‘imprint’, ‘implant’, cause to be (a quality) (in a creature). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2846 (Bann.).
This differens in forme and qualite Almychty God hes cawsit Dame Nature To prent and set in every creature 1580-92 James VI Lusus R. 4.
O Volumna, prent a uill into thaire couplit hairtis 1587-99 Hume 70/58.
And nature hes preferd vs … Be prenting reason deiplie in our breasts

b. To impress or implant awareness, knowledge or certainty of (an image, idea, belief, set of beliefs, etc.) in or into one's own or another's heart or mind.Also const. noun clause, and absol.(1) a1500 Bernardus 121.
And [sc. sell] to thi fayis gud chepe, prente this worde, For he is nocht ay wencuste with the sworde a1568 Scott i 209.
Tak tent and prent the wordis Intill this bill(2) 1456 Hay II 42/13.
To the quhilkis poyntis of acordans the squyre suld take gude tent, and knaw thame all, and hald thame prentit in his hert percure c1460 Thewis Wysmen 166.
The faith of God and law of man, Full weill prent it in hart thai can a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 580 (Harl.).
Of thi nychtbouris the festis fonerall Prent in thi hart a1500 Seven S. 521. a1500 Bk. Chess 33.
Quha prentis wele in mynd The circumstance … he sall [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xc 45.
That thai [sins] be reddy prentit in thi breist 1513 Doug. iv i 8.
Deip in hir breist so was hys figur prent And all hys wordis fixt [L. haerent infixi pectore] Ib. ix v 160.
Ascanyvs The ymage of hys faderly piete Prent [L. strinxit] in hys mynde 1533 Gau 21/8. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 841.
That thay wald pance and prent, Considder weill, and in thair heid take tent [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 140.
Have Jesus prentit in thi hart c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4994. 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 164. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7447. 1567 Sat. P. iv 121.
Dawyis deid, in Maryis mynde sa prentit, Consauit haitrent 1571 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi in 1563-72 Tracts 79.
To prent thir thingis in ȝour myndis to ȝour profite 1596 Dalr. I 150/34.
This opinione was prented in the hartes of hail Scotland(3) c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 47.
Goddis word, Quhilk … deip in tyll our hart dois prent Our syn, quhairthrow we do repent a1568 Bann. MS. 21 b/7.
And thy torment In ws now prent with pane and sic pvnitioun That [etc.] a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. xxxv 110.
Minerue … wes sent To leir men wit … & in thair hairtis it prent 1596 Dalr. II 343/28.
That … he mycht prent into thair hartes the catholik fayth(4) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 1040.
Faill nocht to prent in thy rememb[e]rance, That he wyll nocht excuse thyne ignorance c1552 Id. Mon. 2589.
I pray ȝow prent in ȝour rememb[e]rance Quhow the reid freris … wer puneissit 1567 G. Ball. 164.(5) absol. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 17.
For word but writ as vynd our-gais … And wryt remanis and prentis in hart To thaim that sal cum eftirwart

c. To impress a firm purpose (in one's own mind) to do something. 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 492.
I pray ȝow … Prent euer in ȝour memorie To help the pure and fatherles

d. intr. for reflex. or pass. Of an image or emotion: To become imprinted or implanted, to ‘arise’ (in one's heart). 1513 Doug. ii
Astonyst I wolx, for sone prent in myne hart The ymage of my deir fader 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6955.
x 2. Greitlie it did hir mufe Into his lufe, and prentit in hir hart