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.
Quotation dates: 1463-1675
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Counter, Cowntir, n.2 Also: countere, -tir; cunter, kunter. [ME. (rare) and e.m.E. counter, var. of countour Countour. See also Compter n.2]
1. A counting-table. 1463 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 23.
Item, a counter and a schryne 1489 Acts Lords of Council II. 297.
A covering to the countere 1501 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 91.
A doubil countir, … a press, a counter, a almery 1540 Maxwell Mem. 283.
Ane stand bed of Estland burd, … ane cowntir 1612 Edinburgh Testaments XLVII. 63 b.
In the defunctis awin hous ane counter, meit buird, almerye 1615–6 Master of Works Accounts XI. 8.
For ane stand of cunteris, xvj s. 1636 Thanes of Cawdor 281.
Ane stand bed of fir with tua kunteris
b. Attrib. with almerie, box, table, tafle. 1590 Edinburgh Testaments XXII. 261 b.
Ane counter almerie of fir; ane veschell bink of fir 1654 Ib. LXVII. 276 b.
Ane cunter almrie, ffour chyris 1675 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 129.
Ane press ambry, ane counter ambry — 1632 Edinburgh Testaments LVI. 24.
Ane dussone … counter-boxis — 1661 Brechin Testaments VI. 205 b.
Ane counter table of firr 1661 Ib. 207.
Ane counter tafle, ane seat at the head thairof
2. A counter for reckoning with. 1562 Edinb. B. Deeds 63.
Ane penner & ink horne, ane stand of counteris 1611 Edinburgh Testaments XLVI. 320.
Twa dosone buistis with thair countirs 1664 Inventory 3 (Reg. H.).
Fourtein vnce of brass counters
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"Counter n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/counter_n_2>
