[app. f. JOT sb.1: the original sense being prob. to make the smallest mark with pen or pencil. Cf. DOT v.1 4. App. orig. Scotch, and in English familiarized by Scott and writers in Blackwood.] trans. To write down in the briefest and most hasty form, to make a short note or jotting of. Usually to jot down; the simple vb. is rare.
1721. Ramsay, Addr. Thanks, xi. What will they have to crack about, Or jot into their journal?
1818. Todd, Jot, to set down; to make a memorandum of. Modern.
1822. Galt, Provost, xxxv. 254. Many of the things that I have herein jotted down.
1827. Scott, Jrnl., 12 Feb. I have jotted down his evidence elsewhere.
1827. [see JOTTER].
1832. G. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. xi. 165. Rude sketches of trees, rocks, and other materials of future pictures. These were evidently jotted down during his rambles.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 581. He must have jotted down a mass.
1871. Waddell, Ps. lxxvii. 6. The Lord he sal count whan he jots the folk that siclike was born tharin.
1890. Gross, Gild Merch., II. 241. Accounts … too roughly jotted down to be very intelligible.
Hence Jotter, one who jots; Jotty a., of the nature of jottings or fragmentary notes.
1827. Blackw. Mag., XXII. 451. All the jottings that ever were jotted down on his jot-book, by the most inveterate jotter.
1844. H. Taylor, Lett., in Autobiog. (1885), II. ii. 10. Reading Alice’s jotty journal.
1888. G. J. Holyoake, in Co-operative News, 8 Sept., 9/1. The narrative is dreadfully jotty, jerky and confused.
