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

Comptar(e, n.² [Variant of Comptour, Compter,² after Comptar(e, n.¹]

1. = Comptour n. Also attrib. with burd, claith; heid. 1516 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 161.
A rufe above the comptar heid; ane burdclath 1529 Reg. Great S. 178/1.
A comptar burd … , a set burd with formis and trestis 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 39.
Ane comptar, a furnist bed, ane almory 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 98.
Thre greyn cowartouris for comptarris 1586 St. A. Test. II. 56 b.
Ane awld … comptar of fir brokin and clowtit 1588 Waus Corr. II. 425.
[To] caus Jonet M'dowall fall to the (spinning of the wool to) be the comptar clayth

2. A counter for reckoning with. 1602 Colville Parænese 9.
Vhen you compt vith comptares, not thai bot you be callit the comptar