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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.

Dant, Dawnt, v.¹ Also: dawnte, daunt, daynt. [ME. dawnte, daunte, OF. danter, var. of donter (F. dompter), L. domitāre.]

1. tr. To overcome by force; to subdue or vanquish.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 602 (E).
The Persy … dawntyt sagat all the land, That all wes till him obeysand Ib. xv. 316.
Quhill the king apon this maner Dawntyt the Ilis c1420 Wynt. ii. 10.
All Asy, throwche his cruelte, Wytht were and batayle dawntyde he Ib. v. 2072.
He send a knycht … Wyth a gret ost, … Frans to dawnte wyth that powere c1475 Wall. iii. 128.
Thai thocht to dawnt the Scottis at thar will(b) c1420 Wynt. iv. 630.
Throucht Asy syne he past onone Quhen he had dantid Macedone ?1438 Alex. ii. 9315.
Alexander, that … dantis all that agane him rysis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 189/19.
Efter that the Romanis dantit the Bretonnis Ib. 192/17.
Vnto the tyme that the Danys dantit the Saxonis 1513 Doug. i. v. 96.
Quhen Anchises ofspring … sal … vndir thar lordschip dant al Grece and Arge 1531 Bell. Boece I. 7.
Throw quhilk the Scottis micht have na tranquilite, without the said pepill wer mair haistelie dantit 1549 Compl. 21/13.
The riche monarche of Rome, quhilk dantit ande subdewit al the varld 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4924.
All natiounis richt cruellie thay dantit, Quhair thay tribute or ony manrent wantitfig. 1567 G. Ball. 60.
Quhome suld I dout bot him, that dantis deide

b. To dominate by force or fear; to intimidate. c1475 Wall. ix. 915.
The Scottis thaim dantyt swa, Nayn Inglisman durst fra his feris ga a1500 Rauf C. 433.
Or I be dantit on sic wyse, my lyfe salbe lorne a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 511.
Or thay be dantit with dreid, erar will thai de 1513 Doug. xi. vii. 140.
Lat neuer demyt be The bustuusnes of ony may dant thé 1531 Bell. Boece I. 6.
Havand … ane strang gard of men, be quhais pissance and chevalry he dantit the pepill on sic maner that [etc.]

c. To bring under control; to rule with severity or strictness; to correct or chastise. 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 46.
Thou dantyt Alexander for all his vassalage 1533 Gau 14/9.
Thai quhilk will notht suffer God to dant and rewl thayme be aduersite c1552 Lynd. Mon. 417.
Gret God into his handis To dant the warld hes diuers wandis 1559 Peebles B. Rec. 254.
He sall nawayis authorise … thame thairefter, bot chaistify and dant thame as vse is 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2685.
Baner of baill, the Deuil he dow not dant ȝow 1570 Sat. P. xiv. 71.
Theif and reuer he did dant 1571 Ib. xxvi. 31.
Danting rebels quhilkis proudly did transgres

2. To subdue, control, mitigate (desire, feeling, etc.). a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 33.
His flesche sa dayntyt he had, That to the saule subiet he it mad c1460 Consail Wys Man. 166.
Set thi wyt thi wyll to dant c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 52.
Thair cumis ȝung monkis … And in the courte thair hait flesche dantis 1513 Doug. i. viii. 52.
To dant The violens of prowd folk by just law 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xi.
The rage of youtheid may nocht dantit be, But gret distres 1533 Gau 22/17.
That we suld dant the body onder the spreit c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 227.
He may temper and dant him self be skill a1568 Scott xvi. 50.
Quha wald the rege of ȝowthheid dant, Lat thame the court of luvaris hant c1590 J. Stewart 60/12.
My force is na les vordie than thy awne To dant the daftnes of ane fole maling

b. To suppress, bring to an end. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 110.
Thus, trubill that wes so fulischelie begun wes dantit so haistelie, that [etc.] Id. Livy I. 214/2.
Thus mycht nowthir thare weris be supersedit nor ȝit clerely dantit 1533 Boece iii. vi. 99 b.
In this sorte was this bruleȝe dantit

c. To overcome by labour. 1513 Doug. ix. x. 44.
The erd with plewch and harrowys for to dant 1533 Bell. Livy I. 5/17.
That war nocht the way … To dant the province quhilk I tuke on hand

3. To tame, break in, or control (an animal). c1420 Wynt. i. 1622.
Goshawke he dawntyde [C., W. dayntit] and fawcownys To tak bathe boytoure and herrownys 1513 Doug. ix. x. 38.
To dant and reyn the horssis ayr and layt Ib. x. Prol. 117.
Maid thow nocht man … To dant the bestis, fowlys, and fysch in see 1549 Compl. 21/9.
The toune of Cartage that dantit the elephantis Ib. 145/19.
Sum of them began … to dant beystis c1590 J. Stewart 33/109.
Hir horse to dant scho haid na mycht, Bot in the seis perforce he gois