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.

Ballast, Ballas, n. Also: ballest, -eist, balast, bellast. [e.m.E. balast (1530), balest, ballass, etc., MLG. ballast (also mod. LG., Du., etc.).] Ballast for ships.1536 Treas. Acc. VI. 452 (for mandis to turs ballas to the schippis). a 1538 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 265 (the casting of ballast of schippis in the heavin). 15.. Clar. iii. 1955 (balleist). 1561 Treas. Acc. XI. 116 (for expensis in putting of the bote to the see, hir ballest, lyme … ). 1595 Duncan Appendix (Saburra, ship balast). 1637 Ann. Banff I. 79 (ballast of great stanes).