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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Falt, n. Also: falte, faltt. [The common Sc. spelling of faut, fawt (see Fault n.) with etymological l as in OF. falt. The pron. throughout was clearly fawt.]

1. A defect in conduct or character; failure to act properly or satisfactorily. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 408.
Thai goif one strangers … And al thar faltis one thaim thai seik c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 57/3.
Men of gret curagis forgevis redely faltis a1500 Bk. Chess 76.
Ane richt evill falt was in that tyrand set. Wantoun he was [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlix. 8.
The falt [of treasonn] sa filthy is and fowle 1535 Stewart 27154.
His grace tha did imploir For to remit all faltis of befoir 1555 Peebles B. Rec. 224.
All pykaris that has ben delatit … , to luke the buikes and se quhat faitis thai ar delatit for a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcviii. 116.
All rancour and invy, and faltis passit by, To be forȝettin clene 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 5.
To … ask of thame hir kyis milk, … wes the auld fassoun and it wes no falt 1623 Falkirk Par. Rec. i. 39.
Sche salbe requyrit be the minister to humblie confess … hir filthie and abominable falt

b. An offence against an enactment or regulation. 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. 33.
The comunite has forgiffyn the brosteris the falt of Yul 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 412/2.
For the first falt to eschete to our use the thryd part of thare movable gudis, for the secund falt [etc.] Ib. 413/1.
To set and hald courtis … for correctioun of the saidis falts 1555 Peebles B. Rec. 218.
Vnder the pane of viij s. the first falt, deling of the aill the secund falt 1571 St. A. Baxter Bks. 41.
Under the pane of fourty s. for the first falt, … gif he beis convickit for the same 1575 Ib. 53.
Vndir the pane of aucht schillingis ilk falt 1610 Peebles B. Rec. 360.
That thai refuis na maner of work, … vnder the pane of vj s. 8 d. for ilk falt

c. A fine for an offence against rules. 1544 Reg. Soltre iii.
Gif we … beis absent fra the sayd seruice … sall pay for euere matenis he-mes or ewinsang half faltis that the prebendaris payis one Saterday at the owlkis end 1575 Ib. 229.
Quhilkis faltis and vnlawis … to be applyit for beitting and mending of the hospitale

2. A defect, imperfection, blemish, or mistake. c1450-2 Howlat 250.
I am deformit, q[uod] the foull, with faltis full fele c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 25/23.
All faltis [that] thow may haf in saull & body inclynand thé to syn c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxviii. 14.
Ȝe mend the faltis of ill maid feit 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 50.
Thy wark sall endur in lawd and glory, But spot or falt 1547 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 130.
That the thesaurer pas and vesy the faltis of ports and wallis of the towne 1566 Peebles B. Rec. 302.
That the samin [mills] be wissit be the bailles … and [if] thair be ony falt that the said Sten ma provid graithe thairto 1597 Hist. Carnegie 60.
Ther is ane falt in it, … quhilk gyf it had bein bot anis writtin, I suld hawe mendit it, bot it is four tymis repatit

3. Lack or want. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 56/5.
To mak helpe and suple to the wakar persone and to releve his indigence, necessite & faltis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 33.
Thocht the peur for falt sowld de, His cry nocht enteris in his eir 1513 Dunferm. B. Rec. 298.
The said James exponit planly that for greit indigens, falt, & mistir he wald resigne all his … tenement a1568 Scott i. 138.
Thai faill for falt that had befoir at fouth a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxx. 4.
Quha in welthe takis na heid He sall haue falt in tyme of neid a1578 Pitsc. II. 134/2.
To … gif me sum thing to my wyffe and tuo bairnes, quho ar lyk to tyne for faltt

b. Const. of (the thing lacking or needful). c1420 Wynt. i. 734.
To be thar mete … , In fawt of fude at thai noucht fayle c1460 Thewis Gud Women 219.
Falt of aw, and of teichinge, Gerris madenis oft tak ill endinge Brus vi. 345 (C).
That war woundir for to fall, Na war falt of discrecioune Ib. ix. 318.
He … swa gat has the castelltan, Throu falt of vach 1533 Bell. Livy II. 93/26.
The falt of springand wellis … did sic dammage to the beistis 1535 Stewart 39536.
New baikin breid, and beif … ,Quhairof the Danis had that tyme greit falt Ib. 49176.
Haifand greit falt of sleip, [of] meit and drink

c. In falt of, in the want or absence of. c1475 Wall. ii. 142.
Thus gud Wallace with Inglismen was tane, In falt of helpe 1478 Reg. Episc. Glasg. 459.
He besoch the juge … til deliuer hym erd and stane in falt of payment of the grund annuell 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 108.
I behuvit to send this boy in falt of ane vder 1535 Stewart 20731.
In falt of meit thair deit than far ma Within the toun, nor sword or knyfe did sla

d. For falt of, through lack or want of. In various contexts.(1) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 98.
For eld & falt of sycht 1461 Liber Plusc. 336.
This rewm, quhilk was in poynt to be tynt and vndone for falt of gouernance and for falt of doyng of gude law and justice 1474 Acta Aud. 30/2.
Vnlawis adiugit … for falt of apperance of the … tennandis to serue in his court 1476 Ib. 43/2.
His costis, scaitheis and dampnagis sustenit be him for falt of his entre to the sammyn 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. 19.
For falt of comperans … doum [is] gyffin thairon 1533 Bell. Livy I. 3/20.
Quhat … dukis militare For falt of wisdome bene tynt 1549 Compl. 6/34.
I vas lang stupefact ande timide, for falt of peremptoir conclusione 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 22.
The desolatt craftismen and pure laboraris, quhilkis ar now putt to extreme povertie for falt of laubouris and hand wark(2) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 450.
He … wist that … For falt of met the barne suld de 1461 Liber Plusc. 397.
With wiffis and bairnis swonand for falt of brede a1500 Seven S. 2655.
The scho ravyn … left the ȝoung bird in the nest Redy to de for falt of fude 1535 Stewart 42588.
For falt of fude richt mony … that tyme loissit the lyfe c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3980.
Thowsandis deit, for falt of fude a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxvi. 38.
Now main I the court fle For falt of meit and na fe(3) 1456 Hay I. 260/17.
Gif ane man suld be aire till ane othir … for falt of nerar airis of his frendschip 1513 Doug. v. xiii. 65.
[Thai] ar, for falt of schippis, In onkouth land left 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxvi.
Ane dangerus watter, quhare mony passingeris perisis for falt of ane brig 1538 Treas. Acc. vii. 93.
For bukrem to stuff the slevis for falt of caddes a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvi. 21.
For falt of hemp tak hary towis a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxiv. 11.
The puir folk sayis that thai for falt of spending Man leawe the lawe 1615 Sutherland Corr. 118.
Mony will … neuir more ley land for falt of seid

4. attrib. with biggin (= faulty), buke. 1479 Acta Conc. 48/2.
The dampnage and skathe clamyt be him … for falt biggin of certane housis c 1500 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 259.
That thar be ane falt buk maid to be kepit be the ebdomitar … to not all faltis [etc.]