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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HAITH, Heth, Haich, int. A mild oath or exclamation or asseveration of surprise. Freq. followed by pers. pron. in nom. case, rarely as indirect obj. Gen.Sc. [heθ, hɛθ]Sc. 1698 D. Brown Sermon (1717) 38:
How carry ye in Matters of little Oaths, as Haith and Faith, and such like?Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.T.Misc. (1876) I. 77:
Haith ye're ill bred, she'll smiling say, Ye'll worry me, ye greedy rook.Ayr. 1796 Burns I'll ay ca' in ii.:
And when her lovely form I see, O haith! she's doubly dear again.Dmf. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (Sept.) 659:
She'll be sadly missed — haith, but she has stood the kittle customar with the scythe and leister a bauld bensel.Gsw. 1868 J. Young Poems & Lyrics 160:
He'd hardly skirl't intae life — an' heth, he rowted weel.Wgt. 1877 "Saxon" Gall. Gossip 96:
'Wud they reduce't tae the like o' me,' says aul' Balmeg, 'there micht be some sense in't; but na! haith them! Rnf. 1878 Eccles. Sk. Lochwinnoch 101:
Na haicha [< heth I], Sir, Is'e no sleepin'.Abd. 1879 G. Macdonald Sir Gibbie xiv.:
“Haith, cratur!” he said, “ye're mair o' a man nor ye'll luik this saven year!”Sh. 1892 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 71:
Bit heth! I draas da brüt a smack Ahint da lug.Hdg. 1899 J. Lumsden Poems 4:
“Edinburgh Toun!” Wha'd hing his faiple here and “dee,” Haith, he's a loon!Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 67:
Wud ye only do that! but na! haith ye! sorra haet ye'll do yt onybuddy wants ye.Uls. 1948 D. G. Waring Not Quite So Black 110:
Heth . . . where them I love is concerned, I've no need to be travelling the world.Bnff. 1950 N. Paterson Behold Thy Daughter ii. iii.:
“Praise the Lord, Hallelujah. It's fine we've got a body wi' us.” “Heth ay,” they said. “Praise God.”Sh. 1994 Laureen Johnson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 164:
Heth, it wisna an aesy job. I vargit on for da swaet wis hailin aff o me, an still da branch höld. Maybe he wisna as dead as I towt.