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

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

Tent, n.² [ME and e.m.E. tent(e (1297), OF tente, L. tenta pl., p.p. of tendere to stretch.]

1. A tent or pavilion; accommodation of a temporary nature; ? a hut. Also attrib. Passing into b. pl. An encampment of tents, a (military) camp, freq. translating Latin castra. c. fig. 1375 Barb. xix 396.
Tentis and lugis als thar-by Thai gert mak ?1438 Alex. i 3302.
Than all thay ludgit thame … Quha had na tent, ane ludge hes dicht Of branchis ?1438 Alex. ii 2124.
He … saw … Mony ane tent and pauillioun Of the rich empriour c1420 Wynt. i 211.
Tentys … Quhar hyrdys mycht in herbry be c1475 Wall. x 637.
Quhar mony man Cuttyt cordys, gart mony tentis fall 1494 Loutfut MS 111b.
The marschal … suld haf him in the west end of the barreris to his tent or pailȝon & put him thairin 1523 Treas. Acc. V 226.
To the baillies and provest of Linlithqw and Striveling for thair tentis and pavilȝeonis to be providit for the fute band viij s. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 221.
There is nothing more unstable … nor is a tent. … It lacketh a ground … and … leaneth only to certain pinnes quhilk enter not deeply in the earth 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
Inventour of … his lordships baggadg maid at the ligger of Bergenopsome … In the first 3 tents hall chalmer and kichin 1635 Dickson Wr. 196.
He had his elsin and linyel for sewing of leather, for he was a maker of tents 1682 Kingarth Par. Rec. 137.
She also declares that Robert and Isbel was alone togither in the tent at the shoreattrib. 1651 Glasgow B. Rec. II 215.
Remits to the committee chosin for the manufactorie to go about the setling of some new man thair to receave the cloathe and sell it and alse to the setting vpe of the tent treisb. 1456 Hay I 52/33.
Sa past schir Hanyball agayn till his tentis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 224.
Thai turssit vp tentis and turnit of toun 1513 Doug. ix vii 180.
The schamful victouris … Volscens ded body Onto the tentis wepand bair 1533 Bell. Livy I 267/2.
The tentis & garnisons of servandis [L. castra servorum] 1533 Bell. Livy II 160/25.
The tentis [L. castra] quhilkis war loist at Veos ar nocht onlye recoverit, bot als garnist with new castellis and buschementis at this tyme 1533 Bell. Livy II 161/12.
Thus had al the Romane tentis almaist bene replete of seditioun vrbane a1578 Pitsc. I 209/26.
The kingis battell fled to Stirling and the wther past that night to thair tentis and on the morne to Lythgowc. c1590 Fowler I 118/1.
Furthe from his golden ins and tent … The sun … did from his place repair a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 69.
Thair, wertues tent is pecht, Here, wices lodging lyes

2. transf. ? Something resembling a tent. 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II 169.
Here [sc. Venice] are these soe famous glasse houses wherof soe many admirable inventiones in that kynde are made, as gallice tents, organs, and such lyke wherof the quantitie yearly amounted to sextieth thousand crounes a moneth