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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Conceat, Conceit, n. Also: conceapte, -ceipt. [e.m.E. conceat(e, ME. conceit(e, -ceyte (Chaucer) and conceipt(e, L. conceptus. Cf. Concept and Consait.]

1. Good opinion, favour; fancy for a person. 1558-66 Knox II. 314.
Maister Randolph … was then … in no small conceat with our Quene 1641 Baillie I. 373.
His wife falls in a conceit with Allan Lockhart

2. A fancy, notion, or idea. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 61.
In the middes of all thes thair mirrie conceates was revealed a mysterie 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 493.
Gif ye knew his duble tackis … With feinyeit seillis and antideatis, And tuentie vther tryme conceatis Ib. 513.
To counterfute that fals conceat [: gait] 1600-1610 Melvill 202.
To these Hell is but a boggill to fley barnes, and Heavin but a conceat to mak foolles fean 1596 Dalr. I. 268/26.
In his honest … and mirrie conceitis he delytet mekle 1599 Maxwell Mem. II. 41.
No thing moveth men more to kyith thame selfs to me nor their conceipt of your Maiesties confidence in me

b. Understanding, imagination. 1626 Garden Worthies 119.
The domage that death does to th' estate Exceeds the course and compass of conceapte

3. A fancy article or ornament. 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII. 75 b.
Ane hundereth … buists of Inglische conceats of severall sorts 1666 Ib. LXXII. 194 b.
Ane nek laice of pearle and severall wther conceats