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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPAVIE, n., v. Also spavy (Mry. 1904 E.D.D.), spaivy, speavie, spyevy (Sh. 1904 E.D.D.), spawwee, speeve-. [′spe:vi]

I. n. The spavin in horses (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., speavie; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 267; Ork., Bnff., Per., Kcb. 1971), freq. with def. art. Also jocularly applied to human beings, implying some rheumatic affection, and in nonce usage as an adj., spavined. Comb. spavy-fitted.Sc. 1712 Fountainhall Decisions (1761) II. 710:
The horse he had bought was affected with the ringbone and spaivy.Ayr. 1787 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 112:
When ance her ringbanes and spavies, are fairly soupl'd.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 284:
Dominie Davie, wha's fash'd wi' the spavie.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 71:
I had to gie the spavy-fitted body that wrote it a guinea note.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 81:
When ye're daunerin' doon life's brae, May ye ne'er tak' the spavie.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 244:
Dey hed a rigged strik i' da hill, Bit shü hed da spawwec [sic].Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 4:
He's akinda foondered afore, an' a little spavie i' the aft hent leg.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man xxxi.:
We'll gie his loons the spavie sune.e.Lth. 1896 J. Lumsden Battles 22:
Limping wi' spavie, weeds, an' racks.Fif. 1929 St Andrews Cit. (9 Feb.) 9:
Clean dune wi' spavie.

II. v. 1. In ppl.adj. spav(i)ed, -t, afflicted with spavin, lit. and fig.Lnl. 1720 Binns Papers (S.R.S.) II. 109:
One old white speeved horse.Ayr. 1785 Burns Ep. to Davie xi.:
My spavet Pegasus will limp.Ags. 1818 G. Beattie Poems (1882) 179:
A limpin' spaviet bruikit wicht.Peb. 1832 R. D. C. Brown Hist. Dramas V. 29:
Crummie cuits, Concealed, or spavi'ed joints.Arg. 1836 R. Allan Poems 4:
The debauchee, wha lang hath run The errands of the devil, Worn out, and spavied.Lnk. 1951 G. Rae Howe o' Braefoot 98:
Ca' ye twae spavied hin' legs guid action?

2. To walk as if afflicted with spavin.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poetry II. 69:
He spavy'd back and fore the room.