Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

NOWT, n.² Also nowts, noughts. Variant forms of Eng. nought, nothing, also in Eng. dial. The form arises from the loss of the fricative in Nocht, q.v. and is found only in s.Sc. [nɔut]

1. As in Eng., = nothing (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., 1942 Zai; s.Sc. 1964, nowts).Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 311:
Noughts can gie pleasure unto me ava.Peb. 1894 in J. Russell Yarrow 108:
Some get noughts, but strain their limbs.

2. In pl. in marbles: a shout by one's opponent which prevents the player from firing from any spot he chooses (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. s.v. every; Dmf., Rxb. 1964).Rxb. 1919 T.S.D.C. III. 25:
When a player keps the marble, say, on the rebound, he cries every, and if not negatived immediately by an opponent shouting nowts, has the privilege of striking at the marbles in the dump or ring from any point that he cares to choose.