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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vanité, -ie, n. Also: vanitee, -yt(i)e, wanité, -tie, -tee, wanyté, vaneté, -tie. [ME and e.m.E. uanite (c1230), vanyte (Manning), vanytee (Chaucer), wanite (c1450), vanitie (1578), OF vanite, L. vānitāt-, vānitās f. vanus Vane adj.]There may be some overlap between the senses.

1. That which is considered pointless, worthless, insignificant or insubstantial, a worthless or frivolous thing, statement, etc.; worthlessness, futility. a. Without determiner. Also pl. b. With determiner. Also pl.a. sing. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 656.
He wald be na way Ony new story thole tham say, That than befar lykare ware to be Warldly sang and vanyte Thane thing that suld deuocione Inbryng 1490 Irland Mir. I 31/36.
God … is the verite of all thing, and all creaturis comperit to Him are vanyte a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1426 (Asl.).
Salamon sa full of sapiens all wardlie welth he held bot wanyte(b) c1420 Ratis R. 580.
Gud hop is of sik bounte Dispone it nocht in vanite Na ȝit in wnskilfull ȝarning c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 3.
Kynge Salomone sais … that al this warld is bot vanite of vanites a1500 Henr. Praise of Age 23 (Makc.).
The stait of ȝowutht … it wes bot uerray wanite c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 63/98.
This frustir luve all is bot vanite(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1914.
On the feild he sawis calf full wyde, Quhilk is bot tume and verray vanitie Of fleschlie lust and vaine prosperitie c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 184/27.
Quho suld for tynsall drowp or de For thyng that is bot vanitie c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 558.
Thow pretendis the haill warld to infect With thy langage … Bot of thy wordis … It reckes nocht, thay ar bot vanitie: Howbeit thay be in sum part odious a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 55/11.
Religioun now is raknit as ane fabill … All houp of hewin is haldin vanitie And hellis pane is comptit poetriepl. a1568 Dunb. in Bann. MS 19a/100.
I knaw me vicious Lord and richt culpable … In wordis vyle in vaneteis expreming a1538 Abell 69b.
Blissit be the man at puttis his hoip in the name of God and nocht in waniteis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6387.
Daft vaniteis, groundit with leis, At all tymes he suld let ouirslyde 1567 G. Ball. 185.
With vanities we haif thame lang deludit, And in fals belief hes thame includitb. sing. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 266.
An-vthir … vanite [is] … quhen a seruand that a lorde traistis in, is richit throw falsat of his mastir lell-wone gud a1500 Henr. Fab. 1120.
As quhen lyke brutall beistis we accord Our mynd all to this warldis vanitie a1497, 15.. Gray MS vi 48.
Sen nocht has life that heir ma lest This warld is bot a vanite a1538 Abell 49b.
Drustin … left the wanite of the warld & lewit in religioun a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 320/2.
This warldlis vanite Sa broukle and sa slidderpl. a1500 Lanc. 390.
I praye yow tak no kep, Nore traist in to the vanyteis of slep, For thei are thingis that askith no credens ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 325.
Thow wald lichtly the waniteis of the warld, and do pennance 1581–2 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 229.
Jhone Gilleis, doctour in Jhone Blakis schole, oblist himself nocht to pas in mwmschance after supper to mak playes or vse siclyke vaniteis

2. Foolishness, lack of wisdom; a foolish action or mode of behaviour. Also pl.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xliii 327.
Quhat manere that may be? … That semys & is nocht … & ledis man to vanyte 1581 Burne Disput. 160b.
Quhilk ȝe suffir not to cum to licht, in caice ȝour vanitie be lachin at be the hail varld 1596 Dalr. II 46/10.
That … [they] mycht now se thair awne daftnes, and lach or greit at thair awne vanitiepl. 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 399.
In my iugement, that is the greiter cause of offence: namelie to haif thair vaniteis and wickitnes publischit in court and sicht of princis

3. The quality of being vain about oneself, one's appearance, etc., self-conceit; an instance of this. Also pl.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xxix 256.
First mon thu lawit be Fra the sicht of al wanyte, & pryd, & wantones of wil, Sic rewarde to wyne til 1456 Hay I 284/21.
The religious men ar cled in blak wede … to schawe mekenes in hert and put away all lust of vanitee and vane glore warldly c1490 Porteous Noblenes 180/13 (A).
It is folie and vanite to ony man of noble & hie blude to trast or hald him self noble without that he appere and schewe him noble be his wertuis dedis 1549 Compl. 129/16.
I meruel of the vanete of my tua brethir that … professis them gentil men be successione of ther predecessouris 1567 G. Ball. 73.
I pray Thé Lord … All vanitie and lieand word, Full far away thow put fra me c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 273.
It is bot verraye uanytie For to desyre Christ with ws corporallie 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 58.
I am besy with our story of Scotland to purge it of sum Inglis lyis and Scottis vanite 1575 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 100.
As mony … persounes … hes bene … in perrell of deid, that thai may happin to speik be fantasy or wanitee that will appeir to thame in sic tymes c1590 Fowler I 121/87.
What makis these mortallis folke to be so proude in mynde, Or yit so puftlye lift thair headis in vanetie and pryde 1592 Mining Rec. 64.
As for the third and fourt articles contening a discours of his offeris I hawe nothing to say thairto … bot remittis the sam to the notouretie of his wanitie thairinpl. 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 277.
Ȝit wald I hyde me in ane nuke, to se those vncouth vaniteis, Quhow thay, … Did occupy thare goldin houris With help of thare new gouernouris c1552 Lynd. Mon. 21.
Thy vaniteis no waye thay wyll aduance Thynkand thé proude sic thyngis to pretende

4. Vane and vanite, see Vane adj. 5 b.