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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STEADIN(G), n. Also sted(d)ing: steeding; stidden. [n., em.Sc. (a), wm. and sm.Sc. ′stɛdɪn; Ork., em.Sc. (b) and s.Sc. ′stidɪn]

1. A building site, a piece of ground on which a house or row of houses is built; the site of the buildings on a farm (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 438; Uls. 1953 Traynor), freq. in phr. steddin o houses.Sc. 1714 Rec. Conv. Burghs (1885) 123:
A steeding of ruinous houses.Bte. 1728 Rothesay T.C. Records (1935) II. 717:
A piece of ground in the Burgh called Newhouse stedding.Gsw. 1761 Glasgow Past and Present (1884) II. 433:
Several lots or steadings for building upon.Ags. 1767 Session Papers, Gordon v. Panmure (16 Dec.) 7:
North-ferry consists of a few Steadings of houses.Edb. 1772 Edb. Ev. Courant (19 Dec.):
A Scots acre of ground. — The steeding of houses included.Bwk. 1795 J. Bonner Bee-hives 29:
In my own native parish of Coldingham. there is a steeding called Bee-Edge.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xv.:
The spaces of ground between their steadings and the crown or middle of the causey.Uls. 1899 S. MacManus In Chimney Corners 251:
My father's new castle was a buildin' (in the steddin' of the old one).

2. The buildings on a farm, sometimes including and sometimes excluding the farm-house (Clc. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VIII. 603; Sc. 1808 Jam.; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 268; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein: Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen.Sc. Also attrib.Ayr. 1789 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 360:
Improving a farm, building a steading of farm-houses.Edb. 1796 H. MacNeill Waes o' War 23:
House, nor hame, nor farm. nor stedding!Sc. 1816 Scott B. Dwarf vii.:
The steading's a' in a low, and the bonny stackyard lying in the red ashes.Dmf. 1845 Stat. Acc.² IV. 542:
On a number of farms of the parish, the steadings have been rebuilt.m.Lth. 1870 J. Lauder Warblings 77:
Far away the nearest steading.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep Head 269:
The bargain ye mak' aboot the steedin'.Ags. 1899 Barrie W. in Thrums xi.:
The Bog was a bigger farm in thae days than noo, but I daursay it has the new steadin' yet.Abd. 1928 J. Baxter A' Ae 'Oo' 19:
Winter! A' the steading catties, Sick o' hameart mice an' ratties.s.Sc. 1936 Border Mag. (April) 51:
The steedin's lettin' in the rain.Mry. 1949 Northern Scot (30 April):
The new-washen claes are blaan a, owre the stidden.Ork. 2000 Orcadian 18 May 9:
Quoy of Herston, South Ronaldsay
Dwellinghouse in need of complete renovation and steading comprising byre, barn and store in good order, ... Abd. 2000 Herald 26 Jun 19:
She spent the winter with a dozen other heifers in the steading of a neighbouring farm whose land had been amalgamated and whose house has been upgraded for settlers who had followed the oil boom into the North-east.