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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bent, n. Also: bynt. [ME. bent (14th c. in sense 1, 15th c. in sense 2), reduced form of bennet, OE. beonet, beonot (recorded only in place-names).]

1. A strong, coarse, or wiry variety of grass (esp. the sea reed-grass), growing upon moorlands or links; formerly used for strewing on the floors of houses or other buildings. 1429 Ayr B. Crt.
Item for bent to the kyrk, vj d. 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 17.
It is statut, at na freman, na onfre, sell onie pettis or bent 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 65.
To Androu Balfour, for his fee of al the hail ȝere for his bent to the chalmiris 1504 Ib. III. 428.
Item, to James Dog, for bent and stray to the Quenis chamir, xvij s. 1536 Ayr Common Good Acc.
Item for skobys & bent to the townis hous, xxviij d. 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 201.
With common careage and hayme brynging of hard fische and bent 1597 Prestwick B. Rec. 83.
It sall nocht be lesum … to scheir ony bent vpon the commoun sandhillis 1600-1610 Melvill 21.
Haiffing the candle in my hand, … negligently pleying with the bent, it kendlet … on fyre 1600 Crim. Trials II. 184.
This deponer fand ane gartene at the cheik of the round dure, among the bent 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 176.
Laitly ther hes bein cuttit … great quantities of bent for the wses of the houses and others 1681 Acts VIII. 357/2.
His Majesty … doeth prohibit … the theicking of any houses in the said toun … with straw, bent or heather 1695 Ib. IX. 452/2.
The pulling of bent, broom or juniper off sand hills

b. ellipt. The cutting of bent for use. 1612 Elgin Rec. II. 400.
That na licence be gevin to gang to bent bot anes in the fourtene dayis 1629 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 25.
Dischairges the maister of the grammer schoole … in giveing his scholares leive to the bent, or in exacting any bent silver from thame in tyme comeing

2. poet. A stretch of open ground (covered with bent); a moor or field. Usually in phr. on or our the bent. a1500 Rauf C. 797; etc.
He band his blonk to ane busk on the bent broun a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 687; etc.
Thai bet on sa brymly, thai beirnys on the bent a1500 Henr. Fab. 542.
With that, but baid, thay braidit our the bent; As fyre of flint thay ouer the feildis flaw c1475 Wall. viii. 1232.
Atour the bent to Wallace ar thai gayn Ib. x. 82.
In reddy battaill vij thowsand doun thai bar, Dede on the bent 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 282.
ȝit sa abaid thir musis on the bent Id. Æn. xi. xiii. 100.
In circulis wyde scho drave hym our the bent c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 167.
He to that ladie past agane, Quhair scho stude nakit on the bent c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 193.
He said adew, & sa furth can he fair Out ouir the bent

b. Used in pl. in the same sense. 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. vii.
Two plesand ladyis come pransand ouir the bentis a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 71.
ȝe haue bene mony beistis bane Vpone thir bentis broun 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII. 226.
The Devil appointed them to meet at the Bents of Balruddrie

3. Attrib. with land, rute, schering. 1525 Prestwick B. Rec. 51.
Mem. to the inquest to mak ane ac of tawys & bynt ruttis powen Ib. 52.
Beand tane with tawys & bent ruttis powen 1562 Ib. 66.
Ane ac for the bent scherin 1677 Corshill Baron Ct. 138.
Patrick Stivenson … persued Elizabeth Wilsone … for outriveing of bent land