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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sclent, Sklent, n. [ME slent (Cursor M.), slente (E. E. Allit. P.); Norw. på slent aslant.] A cut made by shears off the line the person cutting is trying to follow. b. A (also on, of) sclent, obliquely; following a slanting course; deviating from the straight. Also fig., awry; astray; devious, dishonest. See also Asklent adv. and Sclant-carie v. — c1590 J. Stewart 3.
Ane … imperfyt prentes … takith … sum slycht cloth to Susteine the sklents and manks of his cunnyngles clipping —b. 1460 Hay Alex. 1898.
The sperehed past in sidlingis by a sclent 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iv 298.
Obliqua luce: oblique lucem recipientes (ressaivs licht of sklent) —fig. 1587-99 Hume 74/202.
A lord, ane earle … will come to their intent Howbeit there cause it be sum deill on sklent a1634 Read Buch. 9.
Of thes things alledged it is not a sklent to think that Albium was not a peculiar word of any natione