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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DESERT, v. Sc. law: in phr. to desert the diet, “to give up a criminal charge, either pro loco et tempore, when a fresh charge can be brought or simpliciter, which is final” (Sc. 1946 A.D. Gibb Legal Terms 28).Sc. 1732 J. Louthian Process (1752) 251:
For deserting a Diet, or assoilzieing a Pannel.Sc. 1773 J. Erskine Inst. Law Scot. iv. iv. 90:
If the prosecutor shall either not appear on that day, or not insist, or if any of the executions appear informal, the court deserts the diet, by which the instance also perishes.Sc. 1936 St Andrews Cit. (25 April) 6/5:
The depute-Fiscal . . . intimated . . . that he wished to desert the diet against H. T.

Hence desertion (of the diet), the act of deserting the diet (Sc. 1890 Bell Dict. Law Scot. 320).Sc. 1711 in Analecta Scot. (ed. Maidment 1834) I. 296:
When persons are really guilty, there is no desertion of diets.Sc. 1800 D. Hume Trial for Crimes II. 29:
Of Fugitation and Desertion of Diet. The act of desertion is not his [the prosecutor's] act, but that of the Court.