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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DAITH, DAETH, n. Gen.Sc. forms of Eng. death. Cf. Death and Deeth. [de:θ Sc., but Ags. deɪθ]Sc. 1930 R. J. B. Sellar in Scots Mag. (Sept.) 422:
I'm thinkin' it must ha'e laughed itsel' to daith.Ork.(D) 1880 Dennison Sketch Bk. 4:
Ayrie kent he could no gang oot whill nicht, for he wus seur tae be teen; an that wus daeth.Abd. 1991 George Bruce in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 23:
they wha catapulted him
intae this life or daith or mixter-maxter o the baith. m.Sc. 1991 Tom Scott in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 41:
Ay, and see richt throu me
Inti the fires my hert in dern is dreean,
No even daeth can get in me sic quakin em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 9:
"Can I no pit masel aye frae ye?
Can daith no perish ye for guid?..."wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 26:
Again! Yiz'll be the daith o' me!
Don't be stupit! C'mere the baith o' ye. Arg. 1906 “H. Foulis” Vital Spark iii.:
It would be the daith of you at wance to take beef, though there's plenty in the pot.Kcb. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister iii.:
A' this time the young man had been standin' wi' a face like daith.

Combs.: 1. daith-hunger, “the last desire of a dying person for food” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); 2. daith-ruckle, “the death rattle” (Ib.).