A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mortar-stane, n. Also: mortar-, morter-stone, (morter-stein). [Late north. ME. morterstan(e (1451–2): cf. MDu. mortiersteen.] A hollowed out stone used as a mortar.Chiefly, one used for knocking barley; also, as used for pulverizing herbs.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 60.
Mell-heidit lyk ane mortar-stane 1533–4 Selkirk B. Ct. 177b (24 Mar.).
Ane mortar stane 1580 Reg. Privy C. III. 320.
In the kitchene … ane mortar-stane 1619 Edinb. Test. L. 213 b.
Ane mortar stane for beirknoking with ane mell(b) 1535 Stewart 39528.
Of tha herbis also richt mony one He hes gart bra into ane mortar stone 1696 Invent. in Hector Renfrewshire Rec. 304.
Ane morter stone and ane mell therto(c) a 1638 Orkney Misc. I. 53/2, & infra same p.]
[As of barely first beaten till the outskin goe of in a morter stein
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"Mortar-stane n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mortar_stane>
