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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GAW, n.¹, v. Also gaa, ga', †gau. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. gall, a sore. See P.L.D. §§ 78 and 78.1. [gǫ:, gɑ:]

I. n. 1. A sore, abrasion, wound (‡Abd., Ags., Fif. 1954). Also fig. a blow to one's hopes or pride, a disappointment (Fif. 1954). Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1699 R. Wodrow Early Letters (S.H.S.) 6:
About ane inch nixt her chin quher ther was a gau, as if it had been bound ther with somquhat.Rnf. 1815 W. Finlayson Rhymes 29:
Tear wi' ever-deep'ning gaws My bleeding back.Abd. 1820 A. Skene Poems 69:
Which job was lucky for the twa, As Cleekie's trade had thol'd a gaw.Gall. c.1870 in Bards of Gall. (Harper 1889) 112:
Hearts may receive a gaw Frae some sweet lassie braw.

Phr.: a gaw in the back (neck), †(1) an old trick, a bad habit, a weak spot (Abd.⁴ 1928, gaa — ); (2) a grievance (Ags. c.1905; Per. 1947, — neck) used erron. in quot. = colloq. Eng. “one's knife in someone”; (3) a rankling wound to pride (Fif. 1954).Sc. 1703 in Glasgow Past & Pres. (McNab 1884) I. 68:
They are only to drink part of it — drinking the whole of it is an auld gaw in their backs.s.Sc. 1793 T. Scott Poems 340:
In ilk ane's back ye fin' a gaw.Lnk. 1822 G. R. Kinloch MS.:
He has an auld gaw in his back is a phrase used when a person who bears a bad character, commits an offence, denoting that it is not to be wondered at as he bears on his back the remembrance of former tricks — the mark left by a stroke applied by a whip as when punished for former offences.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
“t's an auld gaw in your back,” that is an old trick, or bad habit of yours.Rxb. 1825 R. Wilson Hist. Hawick 279:
A great deal o' puir bodies travel frae our parish, it's an auld ga' i' our back . . . an' I doubt canna be easy mendit.(2) Ayr. 1822 Galt Steam-boat 235:
It seems that the Lord Chamberlain . . . is obligated at a royal coronation, to have a gaw in the Earl's back, and takes this method to shew his power and supremacy.

2. A throbbing, irritating pain (Ags.¹⁸ 1954, gaa).

3. (1) A defect, blemish or flaw of any kind (Sc. 1880 Jam.; Abd.⁸ 1917); any irregular gap, cut, or mark, a break in the continuity or texture of anything (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); an incipient flaw in iron or steel articles (Ags.⁴ 1916); a crease in cloth (Upper Cld. 1825 Jam.), a worn or chafed part in a piece of clothing.Sc. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 54:
My coat, by luck, was fine an' braw, Withoutten either hole or gaw.Gsw. 1838 A. H. Millar Black Kalendar Scot. (1884) I. 118:
He had happened to be cropping them [whiskers] with a pair of scissors, but having made a “gaw” in them, he shaved them off altogether.Rnf. 1863 J. Nicholson Kilwuddie 92:
He saw through a gaw in the liftin' clouds, The sun begin to glower.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin iii.:
Huntin' oot certain strokes an' gaws on my left loof, wi' the view o' spaein my fortune.Rnf. 1865 J. Young Homely Pictures 147:
A waistcoat flush o' thread-bare gaws.Sh.¹¹ 1954:
Gaw is used to denote the empty space sometimes found at the heart of an overgrown potato.

(2) In Weaving: a gap in cloth where weft threads are missing either by accident or by design as between the end of one piece and the beginning of another (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ags., Fif., Rnf., Ayr., Slk., Rxb. 1954).Ayr. 1910 Poets Ayr. (Macintosh) 235:
The wab cam' frae a maister wha Will fairly try each weaver, Nor mak' the maist o' scob or gaw.

†4. Geol.: a strip or stratum of soil or rock intersecting one of a different composition; esp. in Coal-mining, a narrow vein of igneous rock intersecting coal strata (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 30; Fif. 1931 Econ. Geol. Fife; Edb.⁶ 1944), a trap-dyke (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.).Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VII. 13:
This very extensive field of coal, reaching from Saltcoats to Garnock, is cut into three parts, by two great galls or dikes that run through the whole field.Dmb. 1811 Whyte & MacFarlane Agric. Dmb. 330:
The field of nine acres entirely moss, and in some parts above three feet deep, excepting a few narrow sand gaws.Ayr. 1902 R. W. Dron Coalfields Scot. 57:
A number of whin ‘gaws' or dykes are found in the field.

5. A furrow or channel cut on the surface of the soil to drain off water from a field, pond, etc. (Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ IX. 352, Note; Wgt. 1855 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 723; Fif.¹⁴ 1954); “a hollow with water springing in it” (Ags. 1808 Jam.).Sc. 1759 Session Papers, Wallace v. Morrison (15 Jan.) 30: 
There is a spring or wetness, which occasions the cutting of a gaw with a spade or plough, to let the water run therefrom into the ditch.Per. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIX. 507:
Their surface water, which is carried off by similar gaas, or openings, cut through the head-ridges.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 94:
Thro' the gaws wi' darin' plash Did pass the plough.Rnf. 1812 J. Wilson Agric. Rnf. 130:
Open drains, called sloped gaws, are cut, at right angles to the ridges, from the middle of the field to one or both sides of the inclosure.Dmb. 1817 J. Walker Poems 58:
Wi' miry bogs an' swamps an' gaws, In Summer drouth 'twad drown the craws.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm I. 630:
In every variety of soil, ploughed . . . for winter, care should be taken to have plenty of channels, or gaws . . . so as surface water may . . . escape.Ayr. 1903 G. Cunningham Verse 108:
The drivin' o' levels, or cutting o' gaws.

Combs.: (1) gaw-cut, as above; (2) gaw-fur, -furrow, id. (Bwk. 1809 R. Kerr Agric. Bwk. 503; Lth. 1825 Jam., ga(a)-fur); “a furrow at an end-rig, used for running off water” (w.Fif. 1930 per Ags.³). See Furr, n., 3.(1) Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm I. 854:
The most superficial mode of draining is that effected by open ditches and gaw-cuts. . . . The gaw-cuts, small channels cut with the spade, are carefully made through every natural hollow of the ground.(2) e.Lth. 1805 R. Somerville Agric. e.Lth. 172:
As soon as a field is sown and harrowed, the gaw-furs, as they are provincially called, are neatly and perfectly cleaned with the spade and shovel.Ork. 1814 J. Shirreff Agric. Ork. 61:
Both that operation and cleaning out the gau and headland furrows are too often neglected.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xiv.:
We tint oor feet an' ower we whummelt into a gaa-fur.

6. “A perpendicular fissure in the face of a piece of moss from which peats are dug. It is a break on the continuity of the solid moss, caused by the original vegetable not being completely converted into a solid state. . . . It is more of the nature of a seam interruption than of a gap or opening” (Bwk. 1899 Sc. N. & Q. (Series 1) XII. 160).

¶7. “A drill of potatoes or turnips as made by the plough. Only heard once” (e.Rs.¹ 1929).

†II. v. 1. To make sore, to fret, by chafing or rubbing. Common in ppl.adj. gaw(e)d, ga'd.Sc. c.1714 in Jacobite Minstr. (1829) 47:
He'll ride nae mair on strae sonks, For gawing his German hurdies.Sc. 1726 Ramsay T.T.Misc. (1876) I. 175:
Ane auld gaw'd gloyd fell o'er a heugh, A spade, a spit, a spur, a sock.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 85:
Ye're like the tender Gordons, ye downa be hanged for gawing of your neck.Ayr. 1787 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 112:
My auld, ga'd Gleyde o' a meere has huchyall'd up hill and down brae.Ayr. 1824 A. Crawford Tales of my Grandmother (1825) I. 103:
She's near-footed afore, spavied behin', and sair gawed i' the withers.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales (1837) II. 278:
There's that auld gawed glaed wad fainer have a husband this day than the youngest amang you.s.Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 15:
A horse shall gang on Carrolside brae, Till the girth gaw his side.

2. “To wear thin in places” (Mry.¹ 1925), to become thin by rubbing.

3. Fig. (1) tr. To vex, irritate, harass.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. iii. ii.:
That clatteran Madge, my Titty, tells sic Flaws, When e'er our Meg her cankart Humour gaws.Per. 1766 A. Nicol Poems 25:
Sic sad thoughts as these they ga' me wi' pain.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 199:
There liv'd a Carle near a glen, . . . Wha saw lang sinty year an' ten, Ere ever trouble ga'd him.Slk. 1831 Hogg Songs 307:
Rain-draps gaw my cozy biggin'.Knr. 1895 “H. Haliburton” Dunbar 25:
He stoiter'd like a hobbled mull The simmer clegs are gawin'.

(2) intr. “To become pettish” (Jam.), to get annoyed.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 189:
He gaw'd fou sair, Flang in his Fiddle o'er the Yet, Whilk ne'er did mair.