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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Start, Stert, n.² Also: (strait). [ME and e.m.E. sterth- (a1225), stert (Cursor M.), stert(e (Chaucer), starte (15th c.), stirt (Hoccleve), styrt(e (Prompt. Parv.), start (1530); Start v.]

1. A short space of time, a moment. b. transf. An activity taking up (only) a small amount of time.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. i 64.
Jasone … Stud studeand a litill stert(b) c1450-2 Howlat 500 (A).
Was nane so sture in the steid micht stand him a start c1460 Thewis Gud Women 146.
Women that has a thowlas hart Ane houre ore twa thinkis bot a start a1500 Rauf C. 892.
This wickit warld is bot ane start c1679 Kirkton Hist. 156.
Now Middleton has left the stage of Scotland upon which he never acted more; for, according to the countrey woman's prediction, thither he never returned, except for one stolen start, wherein he was as obscure as ever he hade been gloriousb. a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 177.
Whereas these duties … are on other days, but as starts, worship is here some way the only work of that day

2. A swift movement; a leap. 1513 Doug. viii iv 162.
Hercules … Mycht this na langar suffir, bot in the gap With hasty stert amyd the fyre he lap

b. Start and overleap, = Overloup n. the trespassing of farm animals by leaping boundaries, which to a certain degree was accepted and permitted.1671 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 89 (1 June) (see Overlepe n.). 1671 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 89 (1 June).
[The said croft with the pertinents] and benefite of the foirsaid six sheep sowmes grase with ane naig or ane meir and start and over leap of the hoggis used and wont

c. fig. A step, move, action. 1610 Anal. Scot. II 282.
He [sc. Neill M^cCloyde] … hes putt of his owne men in the ship … it is affirmed that the pirate had that same intention against Neill bot the other hes tane the first start 1650 Baillie III 117.
The king … did willinglie returne, exceedinglie confounded and dejected for that ill-advysed start

3. At starts, to begin with, in the first place. Only in Rutherford Lett. 1630 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 47.
We fools believe those promises as the man that read Plato's writings … so long as the book was in his hand he believed all was true … So we at starts do assent to the sweet and precious promises; but laying aside God's book, we begin to call all in question 1640 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 589.
What nature or corruption saith at starts in you, I regard not. Your thoughts of yourself … are Apocrypha and not Scripture … Hear what the Lord saith of you [etc.]

4. ? Commencement. 1652 Nullity of the Pretended Assembly 12.
The dangerousness of this present … practice, which from the strait may be as terrifying as the other was alluring [etc.]