A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1381, 1438-1700+
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Piet, Pyet, -ot(t, n. Also: -ote, -at, -it and ? poyit, poyatt. [ME. piot (Ancr. R., MS. C), thereafter appar. only Sc. and north. Eng. Cf. F. piette the dipper, dimin. of pie Py n.1 Cf. also Piet a.] The magpie.To play the pyet, to thieve.Also in proverb. and allusive use.Also attrib., with allusion to the chattering of the magpie, and comb.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii. 5085.
Ane stain-bow … Quhair-with he birdis and pyets slew c1450-2 Howlat 176 (A).
Pyotis a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1887, etc. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 16 (M).
The pyat withe the pairtie [v.r. pretty] cote Feynȝeis to sing the nychtingale note c1500-c1512 Ib. xxxiii. 83. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 927.
Pyote 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 39/23.
The tuechitis cryit theuis nek quhen the piettis clattrit 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 3294.
That we wald baith be spyit be the pyot [: not] 1570 Satirical Poems xxii. 52.
The pyet pyke thy ene on gallous set 1581 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 55 (2) b.
To ane man that brocht his grace pyet … to Dalkeyth 1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 100.
Ane ewill spreit in lyiknes of ane pyit a1605 Montg. Son. v. 10.
The pratling pyet matchis with the Musis a1605 Id. Misc. P. xviii. 67.
They wer beuryde … throu pearking of a pyet 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 356.
That na tennent … suffer nather ruck, hoddit craw nor pyatis to big nor clek in thair rowmes 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 121.
Piot 1684 Law Memor. 230. 1690 Foulis Acc. Bk. 125.
Pouder and … lead to the gardner for shooting birds and pyot(2) 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2026.
Mony seruandis now preuelie playis the pyet [: quyet = quiet]proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 424.
For somthing the pyet peiped 1701 Fugitive Poetry II. xlv. 3/55.
He's party coloured lyke a pyetattrib. and comb. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages Prol. 89.
Her pyat toung, hir poet toung I suld say, Micht suffice weill to preiche in barne or byre 1573 Davidson Satirical Poems xlii. 81.
Quhen ȝe ȝourselfis ar daft and ȝoung And hes nocht but ane pyat toung — a1578 Pitsc. I 225/30.
Sayand to him … , Werielie brother ȝe haue fyne poyit [v.r. poyatt] wordis I wald nocht haue trowit that ȝe had sic wordis— a1651 Calderwood VII. 393.
A pyet nest 1663 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 61.
b. As a surname or nickname, see also Black Surnames. — 1381 Exchequer Rolls III. 82.
Et Willelmo Pyote serviente in castro de Edynburgh pro servicio suo de anno hujus compoti v li. 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 372.
Archie Crosar callit the pyott
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"Piet n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/piet_n>
