Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AWTE, AAT, n. The grain of wood, stone, etc. [ɑ:t]

1. The texture, in respect of closeness, hardness, etc.ne.Sc. 1898 W. G. in E.D.D.:
The tree is hard i' the awte.

2. The natural plane of cleavage.Nai., Mry. 1813 W. Leslie Gen. View Agric. Nairn and Mry. 448:
Awte. The line in a stone where it naturally may be split by the strokes of the hammer, or where the block in the quarry may be separated from the cliff.Bnff.² 1930:
Aat, a seam in a rock. “There's nae an aat in that steen.”Abd. 1825 Jam.²:
Awte. The direction in which a stone, a piece of wood, etc., splits; the grain.

3. A flaw in a stone (Jam.² 1825, for Abd.).ne.Sc. 1898 W. G. in E.D.D.:
That awte i' the stane macks't o' nae eess [= use].Bnff.¹ 1930:
Awte, the grain in a quarry running the wrong way and spoiling the stone, is in very common use.

4. A crack or chap in the skin.Mry. 1932:
I have a bad awte in my thoum, I maun pit some roset in 't.