Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DACENT, Daecent, Dacint, Daicent, Deicint, Dassint, adj. Sc. variants of Eng. decent (Cai.⁷ 1939, deicint; Sh. 2002 dassint). Hence dacency and dacently. Gen.Sc. [′desənt Sc., but Cai. ′dei-]Sc. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 100:
It's a very convenient bit . . . — dacent landleddies — and the best o' company.Sc. 1887 R. L. Stevenson Underwoods 98:
An' naebody for dacency but barely twa or three.Sh.(D) 1919 T. Manson Humours Peat Comm. II. 137:
So, lay aa yon aff an pit daecent stockins an buits ipu dee feet or dan bide hame.Abd.(D) 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 143:
Bit the foreman wis a daicent chiel, an' he fairly leet ma see foo to dee.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 44:
'Her? I've kent i ma time a curn far coorser folk
At I've likit a dassint sicht better.'em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 183:
It got him intae the chaumers o mairrit weemun and daicent widdaes, and they'd be bumbazed at his appearin. Lnk. 1930 T. S. Cairncross in Scots Mag. (Jan.) 302:
A's past and dune And a' maist dacint.w.Dmf. 1908 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo (1912) v.:
He couldna bury a moudie dacently.