A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1438, 1499-1500
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Quentice, -is, Quayntis(e, n. Also: quentyce, -ys, qwentys, quantice, qwantis(se, -ysse, -eis, queyntyse, qweyntys, quyntis, -ys, qwyntyce, -is, -ys(e, (erron. acquentance, acquatyse). [ME and e.m.E. quointis(e (1297), kointise (c1330), coyntise (14th c.), queintise (c1320), queyntyse, qweyntys, north. quayntis (Rolle), -ys, -quantise (Cursor M.), north. e.m.E. quentise (1570), OF cointise, cuint-, quentise etc., f. coint Quent adj.1]
1. a. Cunning, craftiness. a1400 Legends of the Saints ix 130.
How the fend one foure-kine wise He discomfyte and his quentice a1400 Ib. x 108.
Quentyce c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1901.
Vlixes than with sle quentys sermoned the pepill on suche wys c1400 Ib. 2384.
With hid quentys Pirrus to slo c1420 Ratis Raving 1483.
Fore wyt is twrnyt in mail-engyne, And falsat turnyt in quantice syne c1420 Wynt. i 1637.
Wpe ras falshede, swyk and gyle, Slycht, mycht, and ill qweyntys [C. qwantysse, W. quayntis] c1420 Ib. iii 184.
And bad scho suld … Fleche hyr lord wytht swylk quentys [C. qwantisse, W. quayntise] Quhyll that [etc.] c1420 Ib. i 317.
Qweyntys c1420 Ib. vii 2706.
Qwentys a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1062.
& sa he did Lang tyme or hir quentis was kid
b. Cleverness, sagacity. c1420 Ratis Raving 381.
The thrid wertew is gud quantice, That is discret, war and wys [etc.] c1420 Ib. 396.
My sone, gif thow be wys, Oft thow deill with gud quyntys c1420 Ib. 411, 419. c1420 Wynt. ii 363.
Thus Joseph throwch hys wertu gude … gert the folk relewyde be And throwcht hys slycht, and hys quentys [C. qwanteis], Off Egypte all the tennandrys He redemyt thare agayne c1420 Ib. iv 941.
Bot, be the consalle, … And queyntyse [C. qwyntyse] off Temystocles c1420 Ib. 865.
Quentis [C. qwyntyce, W. quayntis]
c. Skill, ability. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1220.
Sen fortoune cachis the cours, throu hir quentys
d. An instance of these, a skill or a device or trick. e. ? pl. (without inflex.) Skilful or ingenious contrivances. c1420 Wynt. v 2782.
Bot wyce, or syne, for to supprys It is off wertu a qwyntys [C. the qwantysse] c1420 Ib. 3110.
Betwene howsys and pentys That ordanyd were off sere qwentys [C. qwantysse, W. quayntis] Prestys foure oysyde to bere To swylk stedys that awtere
2. Cognizances, armorial bearings or devices, collectively.? orig., devices by which a person in armour could be recognised. 1375 Barb. xi 194 (C).
So fele thai var of ser qwyntis [E. quentis], That it war gret slicht to deuis 1375 Ib. xiii 183.
Armoris and quyntis [E. quhytys] that thai bare With blud wes swa defowlit thar That thai mycht nocht discrivit be ?1438 Alex. ii 8499.
With cote-armouris of quayntis seir ?1438 Ib. 9330.
[Mony acquentances thare was sene, Quhyte, rede, ȝallow, blak and grene, Mony sheild [etc.] ?1438 Ib. 9789.]
And mony ane plate and mony ane sheild, … And mony riche acquatyse
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"Quentice n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/quentice>
