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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NIT, n.² Also nite (Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) I. 186); neet (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 363; Sc. 1887 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; wm.Sc., Kcb. 1964), and dim. neaty. [nɪt, nit]

1. As in Eng., the egg of a louse, a young louse. Comb. nit-saw, an ointment for clearing the head of vermin. See Saw. Adj. neety, infested with nits, lousy.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 154:
Rats, mice, lice, flaes, neets and bugs.Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1873) 30:
Sirs, fand ye ever sic a smell O' brimstane and nit saw?Ayr. 1833 J. M'Killop Poems (1870) 76:
The common nest o' strolling hags Diseased an' neety.

2. Fig. As a term of contempt: (1) a small, mischievous person or thing (Ork. 1929 Marw.); specif. a name given to the boys of George Watson's Hospital by those of the rival George Heriot's Hospital in Edinburgh (Edb. 1845 F. W. Bedford Hist. G. Heriot's Hosp. (1859) 346, 1919 T.S.D.C.). Dims. nittie, id. (Sh. 1880 Jam.), nit(t)ack, nittek, -ik, a cheeky little girl, a badtempered child (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1964); (2) a wanton female (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 118, also dim. nittie); (3) a mean, greedy person, one who is selfish or disobliging (Abd. 1825 Jam., Abd.³¹ 1964 , “in schoolboy usage”).

Hence neetie, -y, nittie (Ayr. 11928), adj., stingy, niggardly (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; e.Lth. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 291; Lnl., wm.Sc. 1964), also used as a n. (Lnl., wm.Sc. 1964). Comb. neety-cud, a low, mean person (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 363). See Cud, n.³(1) Edb. 1898 J. Baillie W. Crighton 71:
In front of them were half-a-dozen boys . . . belonging to George Watson's Hospital. . . . As they passed, one of the “neets” made a remark.(2) Abd. 1809 J. Skinner Amusements 105:
And ca' you but a twa-fac'd nitty, Wi' a' your wit.(3) Rnf. 1812 Private MS. per wm.Sc.¹:
You may expect me before him if that hanged neaty would make haste and get my clothes made to me.Ant. 1892 Ballymena Obs. (E.D.D.):
He is a neety body, very wee in his turn.