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 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Precent, v. Also: present, praescent. [Appar. back-formation f. Precentor, but cf. L. præcentāre to sing before or to another.] intr. To act as precentor, to lead the congregational singing in church. Also const. to the congregation or to the minister. 1660 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXV 144.
Ane man … qualified to present in the kirk 1665 J.M. Beale Fife Schools 161.
Certaine persons … come to the said Mr. Alexander while he was presenting to the congregation and violently thrust the book from him 1682 Edgar Old Ch. Life II 107.
For the time that he precented since the admission of the present schoolmaster 1691 J.M. Beale Fife Schools 168.
[The heritors] offered to cause Mr. David Setton to precent to him [Rev. Andrew Aitken] 1694 Strathendrick 60.
By reason that the foresaid John Moir could not praescent 1696 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II 548.
For Finnick … a poor honest old man, teaches to read and write and precents 1698 S. Ronaldshay 72.