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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Knitting, Knetting, vbl. n. Also: knitin(g, knit(t)en, knytting, -yng; kneting. [ME. and e.m.E. knyttyng, knitting.]

1. The action of Knit v. lit. and fig.: Tying; binding, uniting; fixing together, joining.(1) 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 74.
The stowtht of certane lynis … liftit be him out of the sie And that he nawyis sta ony part thairof be wrang knitting 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 144.
It was unlawfull among the Jewes to bow before an idoll for the knitting of the shooe latchet(2) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Annexation.
Annexation, ane Latin word, quhilk signifies ane fast knitting and binding(3) 1641 A. M. Houston Auchterderran (1924) 234.
For knitting of cuppill and rinruiffe

2. concr. Chiefly plur., also coll.: Appar., short pieces of string, cord or lace for tying, used as ties or points for clothing and in other ways. Cf. Knittell n.(a) 1567 Edinb. Test. 20 b.
Ane pund … of knittingis … xviij s. 1592 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 349.
Ane joup and breikis … , half ane pund knittings to put on thame 16.. Bk. Dunvegan I. 206.
For clespes, puches, knyttingis to the breik knies 1656–7 Fam. Rose 368.
For clothe to be calsons … with knittings to theme 1672 Edinb. Test. LXXIV. 203.
Some brokine galloune, knittens, luping and laces 1698 Funeral Acc. II. 6.
2 piece broad whyt knittens for the shear cloth at 2s. 1701 Household Bk. G. Baillie 8.
For pins and knitins 1 li. 10 1702 Old Ross-shire I. 205; 1734 Hector Renfrewsh. Rec. I. 125.
An paper of prins and an bout of knittens(b) 1566–7 Fleming Q. Mary 508.
Of quhyte Florens ribbenis lxxx elnis; Item of quhyte knettingis lx elnis 1590 Thanes of Cawdor 197.
Tuydill to his plait slewis, … for tua ell of knettingis to the handis of them 1598 Treas. Acc. MS. 111.
Twa beltis of knettingis 1603 Montgomery Mem. 247.
For twelue yards of brod knetings to be me night heirlesis, xii d. Ib. 251.
For small knetings 1622 Stirling B. Rec. I. 156.
Coit, breikis, & shankes with whyte knettingiscoll. 1567 Treas. Acc. MS. 225.
Ane … vnce of quhit knetting the vnce ij s. 1661–70 Old Ross-shire I. 143.
Ryding brechis with kneting and pys