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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.

Devat, Devet, Devot, n. Also: devatt, dewat(t, devad; devait, dewait (dawaytt); dewot, devote, devott(e; defet, devett, -eit, -itt; deviot; deavet. [Variant of Divat, Duvat(e.]

1. A slice of earth with the grass on it; a piece of turf or sod thinner than a fail.(a) 1503 Lanark B. Rec. 13.
For devattis to the reggyn and stobis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 179.
He wes advertist that the Romanis … hes beildit gret strenthis of treis, stanis and devaitis 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 289.
For … the making of the stane dike … and for devattis to the bak thairof 1570 Reg. Great S. (1580) 7/1.
Alia necessaria dictorum molendinorum, viz. lie faill, devattis, stane and tymmer ad inlaying of the dammis 1573 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 12.
Andro Munro … stopes the tennentis … to led thair turris, fayll, and dewattis, quhar thai war wont to cast thaim 1590 Rec. B. Edinb. V. 24.
[The Council] fynds that the devatts cassin upoun the commoun mure, … and tayne away … suld be restorit to the place quhair thai wer cassin 1591 Reg. Great S. 665/1.
Lie peittis, turvis, fewall, faill et devaddis in moris de Straithfurde-de-Law 1637 Elgin Rec. I. 258.
James Myln [etc.] … ar fynit … for casting of devattis on the Sanchorie hill 1696 Misc. Spald. C. I. 91.
To tak up thrie devattis on the southt end of the ganttreyis(b) 1538 M. Works Acc. V. 36 b.
Certane faill and dewottis to be layit in certane chalmer fluris 1612 Reg. Great S. 238/1.
Cum lie spaid-silver pro lucrando lie turvis et devottis(c) 1569–70 Haddington Treas. Acc.
To a hwsse that helpeit to beir the defettis. For fowr thowsand defettis 1609 Acts IV. 434/2.
For peettis, turves, devittis, foldykis [etc.] 1665 Forbes Baron Ct. 258.
That no tenent … sall giv no libertie … to cast no faill and deveittes(d) 1650 Cramond Rathven Ch. 20.
Ther was a little peice of land ... not labored, but men vsed to cast faills and deavets on it

2. Turf in this form as a material.(a) 1507–8 Rentale Dunkeld. fol. 58 b.
Pro farnis & dewait pro dicta domo orientalj & horreo 1531 Bell. Boece I. 172.
He beildit ane huge wall of fail and devait Ib. II. 426.
Thay maid thair bastailyeis and trinscheis of fale and devat 1532 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 147.
That … na maner of persoun cast faill or devat in the tounis linkis 1556 Ib. 295.
To cast, win, and leid fewall, faill and dewatt vpoun the commounty of the towne 1592 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 76.
To caus cast any faill or devat upoun the commoun mure 1600 Conv. Burghs II. 85.
Reserwand awayis to the commoun vse of brugh licence of querrell, faill, dewat, peitt, truffe, and hedder 1641 Acts V. 556/2.
Casting and winning of fewall, faill, and devatt(b) 1548 Stirling B. Rec. I. 52.
The said tenement … standand sufficiently in … wattillis and stray, thak and devot 1566 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 212.
Unacum potestate … lucrandi caespites vulgo feall and devott in lie commoun den de Brechin 1588 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 356.
The haill burgesses … to have, faill, clay and devot quhair the samyne may be had 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 107.
To cast and wind peites, turris, fewall, faill, and devotte in the commoun mwire and mossis of the said brugh 1651 Elgin Rec. I. 290.
To be warded untill he act himself nor to cast feall and devott in the communitie except the moores 1679 Peebles B. Rec. II. 96.
The thesaurer to caus the taskers, devot casters, or the lyk, to goe to the lyme with thair horse(c) 1556 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 44 b.
He sall bring hayme thair turris faill & devet 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 491.
Pasturing, casting of faill and devett [upon the moor of Forfar] 1641 Acts V. 400/2.
To appoint mansis and gleibis … with pasturage. foggage, fewall, devet, lonyng, frie ische, and entrie(d) 1585 Prot. Bk. R. Brown 5.
Mos, medow, mvr, & myr, faill, deviot, petis, turis, fewall [etc.] 1659 Stewart Mem. 134.
Libertie to carie home fewill, feall, and deviot throw the saidis landis of Belnavert