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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FENT, v.¹, n.¹, adj. Also feint. Gen.Sc. form of Eng. faint.

Hence fentish, faintish, ¶fentlens, faintly, imperceptibly.Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 164:
Jentlens and fentlens.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 232:
I hae survived it, though rather a wee fentish.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 38:
Up gat the guidwife frae her fent.Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Cobbler o' Kirkiebrae 20:
What made ye sae wake an' fent, lassie?Gall. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 171:
She wus as white as a ghaist, an ready tae fent.Dmf. 1923 R. W. Mackenna Bracken and Thistledown 241:
I think ye feinted; are ye better noo?wm.Sc. 1986 Robert McLellan in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 24:
Mary: ... try to haud it still. And whan it turns dinna fent wi fricht.
Elspeth: Has onyane fented afore.
Mary: They nearly aye fent ... Keep an ee on the winnock, Janet.