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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.

Blate, Blait, a. Also: blat, blett, bleat. [Of obscure origin; agreeing in form, but not in meaning, with OE. blát pale, livid.]

1. Devoid of spirit; backward, timid; bashful, shy.(a) 1456 Hay II. 63.
He suld be temperit … in his speche that he have nocht our mony wordis, na that he be nocht our bestely, na our blate a1500 Bernardus 362.
Qwhen … thi spretis vax dul and blat a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1213.
Bot ȝit his battill will be blate, Gif he our fors refuse(b) c1460 Thewis Wysmen 169.
Nocht our gret wordy, na our blait a1500 Henr. Fab. 970.
Thy defence is foull, … baisit, blunt, and blait a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 256.
Thow salbe maid blait, bleir eit, bestiall 1535 Stewart 12308.
So blunt ane berne, so baisit and so blait Ib. 12880; etc.
Calland ws sa bestiall bodeis blait, … But mycht and strenth c1550 Rolland C. Venus Prol. 55.
Soft, blait, and blunt Ib. ii. 588.
To entir heir … I am to blait 1603 Philotus viii.
Blait things is sone brocht in ane blunder(c) a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii. 79.
Some got a blind, vho thoght they war not bleat 1596 Dalr. II. 141/28.
Gif he ourse al thir iniuriis, … he will be estemet blett and hartles a1598 Fergusson Prov. 4.
A toome purse makes a bleat merchant Ib. 10.
A bleat cat makes a proud mouse

2. Dull, stupid, simple. 1513 Doug. i. viii. 129.
We Phenycianys nane sa blait breistis hes [L. obtusa pectora] a1568 Scott i. 86.
Pilgrimes and palmaris past with thame betuene … blait bodeis ein to bleir 1581 Burne Disput. 96 b.
Euin as the Italianis had bene sa blait, that thay culd nocht discerne betuix ane man and ane voman

3. Lacking in cordiality; cold. c1650 Spalding I. 176.
Thay gat ane bleat ansuer, and so tynt thair travell