A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Scantnes, Skantnes, Skantines, n. Also: skantnesse, skanthness. [ME and e.m.E. scantnesse (Chaucer; v.r. skarsenesse), scantnesse (c1412), skantnes (1574), scantiness (a1695); Scant adj.]
1. The condition of being insufficient in number of people or things or of quantity of material things; shortage.(1) 14.. Acts I 30/2.
Bot gif … the iuge thruch wayknes of the court or skantnes of soytouris may ferrar contynew the daye c1500 Harl. MS 4700 279b.
For waiknes of soytouris of the court & scantnes of consale & vthiris 1533 Boece 63b.
Preistis of quham grete skantnes was for the tyme(2) c1460 Regim. Princ. 180 (Fairf.).
Fertill of folk with gret scantnes of fud 1475 Acts II 112/1.
The gret skantnes that is now of money throw al the land a1500 Bernardus 288.
Bettyr is to sustene … grest skantnes … batht of drink & met Na [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 35.
Mony … levis in greit povertie and skantnes of thair necessare sustentation 1554 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 76.
Throw penurite and scantnes off halfpennyes and other small money 1563 Acts II 543/2.
Maist exhorbitant derth and scantnes of fewall 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 306.
Thair wes ane great darth and scantnes of victuallis in Edinburgh 1578–9 Waus Corr. 205.
For skantnes of paper I wrait to yow in hest 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 90/3.
Skantnesse 1604 Inverness Rec. II 27.
The greit skantnes of … barkit ledder 1606 Ib. 47.
Skanthness 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 45.
There is great raritie and skantnes within the realme … of silver(b) 1595 Banff Ann. II 403.
Dartht and skantines of wittuallis
b. Without const.: Insufficiency, or shortage, of the necessities of life.(a) 1533 Boece 431.
Sic skantnes and hungir followit 1535 Stewart 44418.
So greit scantnes ouir all Scotland thair fell(b) 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 571.
Considdering that victualis ar cariit furth of this realme be marchantis and utheris … to the greit incres of derth and skantines
c. With possess. pron.: Lack of a sufficient supply (to meet one's needs). 1654 Glasgow B. Rec. II 294.
The supplicatiouns givine in be the … inhabitantis … schawing thair skantnes of water
d. Inadequacy; lack of knowledge. 1460 Hay Alex. 19308.
Or gife my langage be not lyik the laife For mekle neid and skantnes that I haife Of mother toung quhilk garris me seik and borrow
2. Parsimony. c1460 Regim. Princ. 102 (Fairf.).
It is degradyng till a kyngis croun … To leire to conquest guddis with scantnes
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"Scantnes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/scantnes>
