Obs. Forms: 6–7 saunt, saint, cente, 7 sent, 6– cent. [‘Called cent, because 100 was the game’ (Nares). If so, the word is, originally, the same as prec., but prob. taken independently from some Romanic lang. No evidence of such a name in Fr., Sp., or It., has however been produced, and the matter remains at present merely a conjecture.]
1. An old game at cards, said to have been of Spanish origin, and to have resembled piquet, with one hundred as the point that won the game. (See Nares, and Singer, Hist. Playing Cards, 267.)
1532. Dice Play (1850), 12. Because I alleged ignorance [of dice] … we fell to saunt, five games a crown.
1576. Househ. Bk. Ld. North, in Nichols, Progr. Q. Eliz., II. 244. Lost at Saint … 15s.
1577. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 9. To play—post, cente, glebe, or such other games.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits (1616), 112. Playing at Cent, and at Triumph, though not so far forth as the Primero of Almaigne.
1600. Rowlands, Lett. Humours Blood, iii. 58. He hath Cardes for any kind of game, Primero, Saunt; or whatsoeuer name.
1608. Machin & Markh., Dumb Knight, in Dodsley, IV. 483 (N.). It is not saint, but cent, taken from hundreds.
1611. Cotgr., Mariage … a game at cards resembling (somewhat) our Saint.
1636. Davenant, Wits, in Dodsley (1780), VIII. 419. Whilst their glad sons are left seven for their chance At hazard, hundred, and all made at sent.
1636. W. Denny, in Ann. Dubrensia (1877), 16. Cent for those Gentry, who their states have marr’d, That Game befitts them, for they must discard.
2. A particular counter used in playing Ombre.
1768. Bellecour, Acad. of Play, 90. You are first to distribute twenty Counters and nine Fish to each Player; and remember that each Fish is worth twenty Counters, and is called a Cent. You will then agree on the value of the Fish whether it shall be five, ten, twenty or thirty pence.
1878. H. H. Gibbs, Ombre, 8. The larger [round counters], which used to be called CENTS counting as twenty [points].
3. Comb. † cent-foot, a game at cards.
[1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 35. Suche playing at foote Saunt without Cardes.]
1640. Brathwait, Boulster Lect., 163. Playes at Cent-foot purposely to discover the pregnancy of her conceit. Ibid. (c. 1650) Barnabees Jrnl. (1818), 53. At Cent-foot I often moved her to love me whom I loved.
