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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sprent, n. Also: sprend. [North. ME sprent (15th c.). Cf. Icel. sprettr; Sprent v.]Also as a nickname. 1685 Wodrow Hist. II (1722) 485.
William Sprent

1. A spring or clasp of a lock, chiefly of a door lock but also with reference to the fastening of a chest, etc. Also fig. See also Baksprent n.The Wall. quot. may be a scribal reinterpretation of stent (Stent n.²). c1475 Wall. (1570) iv 238.
Ane lokkit bar was drawin athort the dure. Bot thai micht nocht it brek out of the waw, Wallace … wraithly to it he went, Be force of handis, it raisit out of the sprent [M. stent] a1500 Lay of Sorrow 14.
Wote I nocht quhy he brokyn hath the sprent, And of the lok hath born away the kay 1511–12 Treas. Acc. IV 276.
For expens … one the said organis in gait skynnis and parchment, for the belles, in naillis and sprentis of irne, in glew, papir, [etc.] 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 158.
To ane masoun for leid to the cruik, making of the hoillis of the samyn, and sprent of the lok, ij s. iiij d. 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 437.
For mending the sprent off the auld gyle buke 1611 Edinb. Test. XLVI 341.
Certane sprentis for hinging lokis 1613–14 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 342.
For the mending and graithing of tua stok lokis in the equary chalmer in the abbay making tua new sprentis to tham 1617 Edinb. Test. L 24b.
Ane vther kist without sprent and key 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 107.
For mending the lock of the stable dore and a new brig and sprent thairto 1648 Justiciary Cases III 676.
Thaireftir with his irone instrumentis thyftiouslie brak up the bandudis and sprendis of four lokit kistis 1654 Peebles B. Rec. I 423.
The making up tua new lockis that was brokin be the mos truperis upon the portis, keyes lost, sprentis and plaitis brised and brokin 1698 D. Hume Punishment of Crimes (1797) II 569.
A pinn for opening of snecks and lifting of sprentsfig. 1621 Hist. Fam. Seton 648.
I find me now far remoued from the springs or sprentis that mouis all the resortis off our gouernment 1645 Rutherford Tryal Faith (1743) 405.
Christ … gave the lock, the sprents, and wards of the heart a throw and a crook, and all the keys in heaven and earth cannot shut or open his heart

b. Part of the mechanism of the hammer of a bell. 1621 Perth Kirk S. MS 16 July.
The sessioun ordenis David Sibbald … to caus mend the sprent of ane of the hammeris of the halfe houre bellis 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 327.
For ane sprent to the bell iiii s.

2. A spring, a leap. 1513 Doug. xi xiv 68.
The serpent wondyt … In lowpyt thrawys … wrythis with mony a sprent

3. attrib. With band. 1647 Arch. Scot. I 175.
[A locksmith and knockmaker admitted, his essay] a lock, with the key and sprent band, and [etc.]