Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Parent, n. Also: -ant, -an; parrente. [ME. (1413) and e.m.E. (Caxton) parent, OF. parent (11th c.), L. parens.] A parent.

1. The father or mother of a human being.Also, one of our ‘first parents’, Adam and Eve. Also, parent prothoplast, see Prothoplast a.(1) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 98/29.
To haly Joachim and Anna the parentis of this lady 1492 Myll Spect. 22.
To cheis thé a wyf cummyn of a gud hous & lynage that hir parentis and frendis has bene honest & chaist [etc.] 1498 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 74.
To be payit … be the parentis of the barnis 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 215.
Havand place of parentis of Gelis 1575 Reg. Privy S. VII. 31/2.
Being puire fathirles and destitut of all support of parentis or frendis 1581 Burne in Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 126/28. 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 51.
& laiking parents brethren bairnis or any neir of kinn [etc.] 1598 St. A. Kirk S. 850. 1599 Ib. 908.
The parentis and maisteris of sic bairnis … salbe … censurit 1656 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III. 65.
He is a weil borne gentleman whose parent yor honor knew 1672 Wemyss Corr. 136.
The great dutie due to parants(b) 1633–4 Peebles B. Rec. I. 419.
Gewine to the parrente of thes that spane at the wisserit quheill being Mairrane Kaitchine for hir dowchter(2) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5066.
Throw inobedience Off our parentis

b. ? An ancestor. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 48/29.
Becaus of the banis … of haly men … and happin of mony of thi frendis and parentis

2. ? A kinsman or kinswoman. (As in e.m.E. and in F.) 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive (W.S.) 151.
And all for avarice … that thair parentis may get the proffect of the benefice

3. fig. 1594 Colville Lett. 110.
Tyme, the parent of treuth