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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

HOVE, v., n. See also Heave. [Sh. hø:v, the normal development; the Eng. pron. ho:v is now gen. elsewhere.]

A. Forms: Inf. and pr.t.: hove, hoove, h(o)uve; hüve, huiv, hüiv (Sh.); pa.t.: hoov'd, houved, huved, hüved, hoevd (Sh. 1952 J. Hunter Taen wi da Trow 241); pa.p.: ho(a)ved.

B. Usages: 1. To throw, toss, fling, cast away (Sh., Ags., Bwk. 1957).em.Sc. 1706 J. Watson Choice Coll. i. 52:
Then up she hoov'd her hinder Heels.Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 204:
As I say, he yowld an grat, an guid awey ben an huved himsell ipo da bed nearly in a fit.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 43:
Bit i' da toon, dere apo da shap o' five o'clock, ye huve yer shivvel, an' not anidder vestage o' wark kind fill da tidder moarnin.Sh. 1950 New Shetlander No. 20. 25:
Da boy at waandered at da banchs, gadderin bits a tree an shals, an hüvin steens ta mak dem buk.

2. To rise above the surface (Sc. 1866 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 37; Cai., em.Sc., Kcb., Dmf. 1957), to come into view; specif. of light loose soil: to rise, to puff up. Vbl.n. hovin, the upheaving of the floor in a coal-pit (Dmb. 1972 Patterns in Folk-Speech (Wakelin) 41).Sc. 1784 A. Wight Husbandry III. 447:
A quantity of grass turned down and not destroyed makes the ground hove, and, in frost, lays the plant of wheat above ground.Rnf. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XV. 486 note:
The soil being very light, too much ploughing makes it hove.Lnk. 1832 W. Patrick Plants Lnk. xx.:
Every where towards the muirs, a good deal of moss earth is mixed into the soil — especially where clay prevails. Such a mixture however, renders the soil too light, and much disposed to become loose and hoved.Lnk. 1892 W. Ewing Poems 25:
A bricht star o' guid luck ower yonner doth hove.

3. tr. To cause to swell, to distend; intr. to become swollen or distended, to swell, expand (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., huve, 1914 Angus Gl., huiv; Ayr.⁴ 1928; Uls. 1929). Gen.Sc. Ppl.adj. hoved, blown up, distended, esp. of grazing animals whose stomachs have become distended with eating too much fresh green fodder (Ork. 1929 Marw.; Uls. 1934 Mid.-Ulster Mail (1 Dec.); Sh., Cai., Bnff. Fif., m.Lth., Bwk. 1957). Occas. Used fig. Also in Eng. dial. See also Heave.Sc. 1764 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 640:
Method of curing cattle that are swelled or hoved.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 18:
I true it 'ill be but wind that hoves up the lasses wame.Ayr. 1787 Burns Death & Dr Hornbook xxviii.:
A bonie lass — ye kend her name — Some ill-brewn drink had hov'd her wame.Abd. 1847 Gill Binklets 82:
A strong pewter plate, filled with salt, was placed on the belly [of a corpse] to keep it from hoving.Per. c.1879 Harp Per. (Ford 1893) 346:
An' strings o' carts — to think on't man My bosom hoves.Gsw. 1884 H. Johnston Martha Spreull 78:
My fit and leg were fearfu' to see, havin' hoved up abune a' natural bounds.Fif. 1894 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxx.:
A little fat, podsy body, wi' . . . a paunch hoaved oot wi' roast beef an' maut liquor.Ork. 1927 Peace's Ork. Almanac 136:
Ye'r sheumid coo's wirried 'ersel wi' a bit o' neep, sheu's sairly hoved.

Hence (1) hovin(g), hoven, the state of being swollen, distention (Sc. 1825 Jam., hoving). Gen.Sc.; (2) hovie, -y, swollen, distended (Uls.³ 1930); puffy, well risen, of bread, etc.(1) Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 456:
And hoving or fire-fanging, is so seldom met with in the sweet milk cheese of that county, that nobody can tell from what it proceeds.Dmf. 1812 W. Singer Agric. Dmf. 355:
As a cure for hoving, the stiff rope, with soft end, or elastic tube, are applied, which removes obstructions, and permits the gas to escape from the stomach.Sc. 1858 H. Stephens Farm Implements 518:
Cattle Hoven. — The direct cause of the symptoms of cattle hoven is undue accumulation of gases in the paunch.(2) Lnk. 1863 J. Nicolson Kilwuddie 101:
Her cheeks were plump as hovie scones.Slg. 1919 T.S.D.C. III. 21:
She looked very hovie that day.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
Fine hovy bread.

II. n. 1. The swelling of cattle through overeating lush or unsuitable food (m.Lth., Bwk., Lnk. 1957). Cf. 3. above.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxxiv.:
The most efficacious remedies to be employed in cases o' hove.

2. Of the sea: a swell (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., huiv, Sh. 1957).