Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Minute, n.¹ Also: minut(t, -vt, -wt, -uth, mynut; minnit, (? minuit), mynit; min(n)et(t, -eit; minot; munit, -et; and Menwt. [ME. (1377) and e.m.E. minute, mynut(t, -ute, mynite (1502), F. minute, L. minuta.] A minute.

1. A sixtieth part a. of an hour, a minute in time; b. of a degree.a. a1500 Bk. Chess 1673.
With arsmetrik suld he perfytlye The mynut compt & kepe the hour thair by 1533 Bell. Livy I. 47/19.
Ilk xxiiij ȝeris anys, that the son come to the samyn dayis, houris, mynutis, greis, and signis [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6014.
The small minuth of one hourb. 1549 Compl. 50/25.
The circle artic is xxiij degreis xxx munitis fra the pole artic Ib. /16.
Munet 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 104 b.
Sevin poynttis & xxxvi minuttis 1588 King Cat. i. iv.
Or giff ȝe finde nocht ȝowr ȝeres compleit take continuallie the nixt les with the signes degrees and minut

2. A first draft or an original version of any deed, warrant, record, etc., of which there is to be or is a copy (e.g. in a court book or protocol book). 1523 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIV. 9.
Stoppit the summondis of tresoun and gart tak the minnit tharof 1538 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 87.
[The baillies, etc.] disassentis to the pronunciatioun of the forme and minute of act maid in fauouris of Walter Scott 1544 Douglas Chart. 237.
My lord gouernoure … ordanis ane mynit of the said commisioun to be maid 1572–3 Reg. Privy C. II. 176.
All and sindry herauldis … to compeir … bringand with thame thair admissionis, instructionis and minuttis of thair executionis 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 87.
I inclyne to latt him byt on the brydell And sall terrifie him with putting the minut in registers 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 179.
Ane vther register of baptisms, which is lyk to be ane minut of the forsaid 1665 Galloway P. 20 Sept.
That this minot shall be extendit in more ampel forme

b. spec. An original document setting out the terms of a contract; also plur. in the same sense.(1) 1576 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. ii.
And for verificatioun thairof producit ane copie of the minute of ane contract vndir the subscriptioun of Robert Forester notar 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. (S.R.S.) 29.
Minute of the contract aggreit upoun betuix the Maister of Gray and the Constable of Dundie a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 96.
Ane actione … for implement of ane minut of ane contract 1640–1 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 37. ? 1671 Culross II. 169.
Minot of agreement with John Sandis anent that money that he is restand to the trade 1671 Soc. Ant. XXX. 22.
A minet of contract of fostaring of Ar^d Oig's chyldriane(2) 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 87.
Having … red over the haill writtis and amangis the rest the minut betuixt your lordschip and his mother 1663 Decis. Lords G. 55.
Where one of the parties bound himself by a minute, and the other not, [etc.] 1700 D. Hume Accompt of Estate app. 118.
Minut subscribed betwixt David Home of Crossrig … and Henry Carmichael anent the sale of the four lands of Edrem(3) 1636 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 178.
Apointes to sett doun the minutes of the bargan to be contracted

3. a. A note or memorandum in the form of a list or inventory. 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII. 273.
Conforme to the minuteis & inuentaris … subscryuit be the said Mr. George 1591 Lennox Mun. 333.
Ane mineit of my rychtis of the mill of Partik, obteinit of his majestie and vtheris at sundry tymes 1604 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 313.
Ye sall ressave ane mynut of thair names and thair occupationis with the lumes that I haif coft 1624 Forbes Baron Ct. 218.
The minnett off the forme off the theaking off the laich bigging 1631 Kirkcaldy Presb. 27.
Mr. Frederik Carmichel desyred that he might have ane nott or minutt of these moneyes … inbuikit in thair presbytrie buik ad futuram rei memoriam

b. A written record of proceedings; chiefly plur., the minutes of a meeting of a court or other body.(1) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Recordvm.
Recordum curiæ signifies the report … or minute of that quhilk is done in court(2) 1604 Acts Sederunt ii. 37.
The three ordiner clerkis … sall caus the minuttis be weill and distinctlie wreittin a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 28. 1647 Acts VI. i. 663/1.
That … the minwtis of all that is done in that dayis session be publictlie red 1676 Kingarth Par. Rec. 106.
Therfor ther wer few Sessions keept and many of the minutts lost 1688 Cramond Kirk S. II. ii Mar.
[The] minutts of the processe anent Jonet Millar 1689 Ib. III. 6 Dec.
Appointing him to writt in minuts, what … shall be done hereafter by the session and … to provide a session booke for registrating in order the necessary minutes and records of the session 1693 Acts IX. 250/2.