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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.

HAILSOME, adj. Also hal(e)some; healsom(e); †helsom; halesom; haelsome; hilsome (Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Glendornie xviii.). Wholesome, sound, healthful (Sc. 1825 Jam.); useful. Gen.Sc. Also used fig.Abd. c.1692 A. Pitcairn Assembly (1722) 40:
That's a helsom Disease to be troubled in Spirit.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 25:
Roun'd in his Lug, That there was a Poor Country Kate, As halesom as the Well of Spaw, But unka blate.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (1925) 27:
What makes Auld Reikie's dames sae fair, It canna be the halesome air, But caller burn beyond compare.Ayr. 1786 Burns Cotter's Sat. Night xi.:
The healsome Porritch, chief of Scotia's food.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1863) I. 223:
Pigeon-pies . . . being the maist hailsome o' a' bird-pies whatsomever.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb v.:
Hoot, min, dinna spull the gweed clean, halesome water — skowff't oot!Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 200:
An' weel the world's tinsel shows his halesome muse withstuid.Uls. 1900 A. McIlroy Craig-Linnie Burn 23:
If ye wud agree tae stap the tay a' thegither, an' tak' what's halesome.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 26:
At halesome fauts they lift their han'.

Hence healsomeness, wholesomeness.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian ix.:
He . . . thinks as muckle about the form of the bicker as he does about the healsomeness of the food.