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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

HAAF, n. Also haf(f), haaff, and, erroneously, half. [hɑ(:)f]

1. The deep or open sea as opposed to coastal waters (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1914 Angus Gl., haf; †Ork. 1929 Marw.; Sh. 1956). Hence phr. to go to haaf (haaves), “to go out to the main sea” (Ork. 1808 Jam.).Sh. 1775 J. Fea New Method of Fishing 139:
The fishers being equipped with every thing necessary, against the latter end of May, on the first of June, they push, in a body, for the half, as they term the ordinary distance of laying their Lines.Sh. 1809 A. Edmonston Zetland I. 242:
The average number of trips to the haaf seldom exceeds eighteen in a season.Sh. 1821 Scott Pirate vi.:
The careful skipper will sleep still enough in the deep haaf.Sh. 1832 Old-Lore Misc. VII. iv. 152:
He puit his buidy o his back and a paikie o' tows i da other haand, and he gieng to da great haaf for fish.Sh. 1936 Scotsman (1 Oct.) 8:
The open sailing boats of the Shetlands left on their bi-weekly excursions in the “haaf”, or open sea, for the line fishing.

2. Deep-sea fishing, esp. for cod, ling, tusk, etc. (Sh. 1808 Jam., 1914 Angus Gl., haf; Ork.¹ 1953, rare; Sh. 1956). Freq. in phr. to go (geng) to (the) ha(a)f (†haaves), to go to the deep-sea fishing (Sh., Ork. 1825 Jam., Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1956).Ork. 1884 R. M. Fergusson Rambles 169:
It is quite a common practice amongst the Zetland fishermen, when out at the haaf or deep-sea fishing, to stick the blade of their knives into the mast to bring good luck.Sh. 1886 G. Temple Britta 30:
As “the maister” was interested in the ling-fishing — the Haaf, as she styled it — every tenant of a croft was bound to furnish and fit out the fourth part of a fishing-boat.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 88:
He's da last 'at a fisherman laeks ta dü, bairns, an' dat's ta turn aff o' da haaf.Sh. 1949 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 133:
At one time as many as three thousand men were engaged in the Shetland haaf — or deep-sea fishing, and the ruins of the old haaf stations may be seen dotted all over the islands.

Hence vbl.n. haafin, id.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (10 Sept.):
Da days o' haafin i' da saxern is by, I faer.

3. Combs. and attrib. uses: (1) ha(a)f boat, an (open) boat used for deep-sea fishing (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1908 Jak. (1928), haf-); (2) haaf buits, knee-length boots worn at the haaf (Sh.¹² 1950); (3) haaf-eel (Sc. 1880–4 F. Day Brit. Fishes II. 251), see Haivel; (4) ha(a)f fish, a large seal commonly frequenting the open sea, ? Halichoerus grypus or grey seal (Sh. 1808 Jam., 1888 Edmonston & Saxby Naturalist 103, haff-fish, 1932 J. Saxby Trad. Lore 202, half-fish); (5) ha(a)f-fishing, = 2. (Sh. 1808 Jam.; Ork. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), haf-fishin'; Ork. 1929 Marw.); (6) haafman, a deep-sea fisherman; (7) haaf-net, see Halve-net; (8) haaf-seat, a recognised deep-sea fishing ground; †(9) haaf station, a fishing station set up on a projection of land or outlying island to lessen the distance to be rowed to the fishing grounds, and used by deep-sea fishing boats.(1) Sh. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ V. 196:
The farmers pay . . . for every haaf boat, 12 ling.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 131:
Let us . . . imagine ourselves on board a haf boat.(4) Sh. 1774 G. Low Tour (1879) 102:
These last in Schetland are called Haf fish, i.e. Seals that keep much at sea, seldom approaching land, except the most retired rocks.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate x.:
Thy skiff had been in the deepest cavern of Brinnastir, where the haaf-fish had before slumbered in dark obscurity.Sh. 1883 J. R. Tudor Ork. and Sh. 414:
Only two seals are generally to be found, the common seal, called by the Shetlanders the tang fish, and a larger variety called the haaf fish.(5) Sh. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XX. 102:
The Haaff fishing begins about the first of June, and lasts till Lammas.Sh. 1821 Scott Pirate ii.:
Sweyn Erickson, as good a Zetlander as ever rowed a boat to the haaf fishing.Sh. 1834 Old-Lore Misc. X. v. 213:
In former times seventy or eighty six-oared boats rowed from hence to the haaf deep-sea fishing.Sh. 1950 A. Halcrow Sh. Sail Fishermen 83:
Gone were the leisurely if toilsome days when the crofter-fisherman saw his voar worked, his peat fuel cut and dried, before he began the haaf-fishing.(6) Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 115:
The signs in the heavens above were the special study of the old hafman.(8) Ib. 129:
Quite recently one of these ancient sinker stones was lifted on a fish hook at a haf seat off the north part of Unst.(9) Sh. 1939 A. C. O'Dell Hist. Geog. Sh. 114:
The fish were caught away from the land, and so “haaf-stations” . . . were established at extremities, to avoid lengthening the rowing distance.