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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Gent, a. Also: jent. [ME. (a 1225) and OF. gent. In Sc., as in ME., only in poetry.]

1. Of persons: Of good or graceful manners or appearance. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv. 38.
Before hyr ay thare went Four ȝnng men, gay and gent Ib. xliii. 2.
Sanct Cecile, the fare and gent ?1438 Alex. ii. 1992.
To tell the maydins, that war gent, How [etc.] Ib. 4746.
Feronas, that was gent and small, Be the hand … Him tuke 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 90.
The feird [Muse is] Melpomene the gent c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 70.
My self suld be … Gymp, jolie, and gent 1535 Stewart 60447.
This nobill king … wes thair that da present, With mony lord and mony ladie gent 15.. Clar. iii. 1244.
The King, the Queine, with lustie ladies jent c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 410.
Ane ladye gent approchit quhair he lay, Quha in bountie and bewtie did abound a1568 Scott ii. 4.
The grit debait and turnament … Wes for a lusty lady gent 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 302.
Than spak ane lawers wyfe, baith trym and gentabsol. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1285.
Than that seymly be sight said to the gent

2. Of things: Elegant, handsome, beautiful. Also transf. of non-material things. a1500 Henr. Fab. 445.
Quhen I behald ȝour fedderis fair and gent Ib. 1674.
Phebus with his golden bemis gent a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 72.
The renk raikit in the saill, riale and gent c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 41.
The rosy garth depaynt and redolent With purpur, azure, gold and goulis gent 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 157.
Amid the wortis and the rutys gent Ib. xiii. iii. 82.
The haly promys and the bandis gent Of peax and concord a1570-86 Maitl. F. lix. 9.
The gaynes of my ȝeiris gent … I wait nocht how away is went a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxv. 42.
Hir armes ar long, … Hir middill gent and small