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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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

Nakit, Naikit, Nakkit, a. Also: nakitt, -yt(t, -yit, -eit, -et, -id, -yd(e, -ed; naikyt, -et, naykit, -yt, -et, naickit, -et, naikid, -ed, naicked; neakit; nacked. [ME. and e.m.E. naked(e, -id, ME. also -it (Destr. Troy), e.m.E. also nakt (16–17th c.), OE. nacod, næcad.]

1. Naked, unclothed, nude; also, partly unclad, wearing only an undergarment.Also half-nakit and absol. as noun.(1) 1375 Barb. xiii. 421 (C).
For thai weill neir all nakid war Or lynyng clothis had but mair Ib. 463 (E).
Quhen thai nakyt spuilȝeit war a1400 Leg. S. xv. 162.
Ethnykis that oysit sa Nakit one-schamely to ga Ib. 1427.
Nakyt owtane that aulde clowt Ib. xl. 1080.
Al nakit bot sark & breke Ib. xviii. 389, xxxvii. 167. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1756.
All naked Ib. 1765.
All nakit c1420 Wynt. viii. 1037.
Als nakyt as scho wes borne Scho rade 1456 Hay II. 64/24. Ib. I. 243/19.
Na quhen he seis a womman kemmand hir hede nakit in the mornyng a1500 Henr. Fab. 812 (H). Id. Orph. 160, 406 (Ch. & M.). c1475 Wall. vii. 278, 451. a1500 Seven S. 1121.
And furth he past nakit & baire Ib. 2667.
For scho him [the unfledged bird] left in mast mistaire In nest nakit redy to de a1508 Kennedy Pass Christ 1051.
Apou ne the croce all nakit thai Him hing a1550 Murning Maiden in a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 103.
All nakit sleipand be my syd 15.. Dunb. App. xi. 10. 1529 Rec. Earld. Orkney 58. a1538 Abell 86 a.
Quhat sall I do? I am nakit and symmar passis awa, I man cum hame agane for neid garris nakit man rin c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 167. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 156. 1561 Crim. Trials. I. i. 415.
That the same boy ranne sindrie tymes nakit to Ingland c1590 J. Stewart II. 42/435.(b) 1535 Stewart 55907.
Ane nycht naikit into his armes ly 15.. Clar. iii. 709.
This lady naikit in the wood allone Ib. 807. Arundel MS. 256/46.
Naikit and paill, ded on the croce Thou hang 15.. King Berdok 10.
Kingis vsit nocht to weir clayis in tha dayis, Bot ȝeid naikit c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 109. c1552 Id. Mon. 799.
Thocht thay wer naikit as thay wer maid Ib. 5941.
Quhen I wes naikit, ȝe me cled Ib. 984. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8153.
Ane naikit mayd befoir vs for to call 1558-66 Knox II. 68.
The Frenche … strypeit naikit all the slayne a1568 Maitland Bann. MS. 13a/99. Id. Maitl. Q. xxxiii. 8.
Think on the end and how ȝe man wend Away naiked and bair 1591 Crim. Trials I. ii. 253.
Ane naikit man behind hir with ane sark; the slewis of the serk vpoun his leggis 1592 Elgin Rec. II. 24.
[To be] haid to the croce naikit fra thair belt up 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II. 123.
Thou … cheissit him sark alane and naikitc1620 Anderson Hist. in Crim. Trials I. i. *135. 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 612.
[They] cutted my breaches and stripped me naiked c1650 Spalding II. 410.
So that the naikit corpis lay on bureit(c) 1568 Sempill Bann. MS. 124b/46.
All nakkit c1590 Fowler I. 106/58.
And him who nacked from the flams escaped thair I saw 1629 Boyd Last B. 272.
O Lord, in that … day all thinges must compeare nacked before Thee 1658 Inverurie 361.
That he … struck him in his bed, he being nacked ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II. 269.
The countrey people [were] … flying out of ther bedds nacked in their shirts(2) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 4.
[He] cast ane nicht gowne ouer his serk and as he was half nakit ran to her in haist(3) c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 29.
absol. Herbreit the wolsome, nor naikit cled att all, Nor ȝit the deid to bury, tuke I tent a1538 Abell 90 b.
He prosternit him salf nakit on the bair erd at sa in his lattir hour … the auld enemy … aganis him nakit mycht wersill with nakit 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3510.
Gif hungrie meit, and gif the naikit clayis

b. Nakit lying, and c. In, (to, out of) (one's) nakit bed, with reference to the practice of being either entirely naked or without one's day garments when in bed.b. a1487 Gud Wife & D. 90.
For nakit lying lufrent will gendirc. (1) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4107.
Or I come with him in naikit bed a1568 Bann. MS. 261b/11.
Thay get grit skuddis In nakit bed 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 219.
Beand in hyr naked bed and ane las wyth hyr 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 105.
Liand in thair naikit beddis 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 46.
That the said Petir cam in naikit bed to hir in ane morning 1610 Ib. 206. c1650 Spalding I. 70. Ib. II. 449. 1665 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 69.
[They] fell upon the saids compleaners in their naked bedds, whilst they were sleeping 1667 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i. 8.
He lay doune in the naked bed with hir(2) 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 89.
That scho … went to hir naikit bed, ley continuale [etc.] 1659 A. Hay Diary 53.
I was able to do nothing, but go to my naked bed(3) 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 740.
[Taking her] out of hir naikit bed 1605 Crim. Trials II. 454.
Ouit of thair naikit beddis c1650 Spalding II. 233. Ib. I. 279, 289.
Scho gettis wp out of hir naiked bed in hir night walycot, bairfut and bairleg

2. Of the body or parts of it: Not covered or protected by clothing or armour, bare or exposed. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 139.
Thai … tuk the ded barne … & layd it by the kingis ayre In credil til his nakit flesch Vndir his clathis ?1438 Alex. i. 1369.
His sword schare in thair nakit hyde c1420 Wynt. i. 104.
Thair nakyde membrys for tyll hyde Ib. 449. 1494 Loutfut MS. 132 a.
His armis being … o loft his sidis nakit & discoveryt 1513 Doug. xi. xiii. 96.
Quhar that his hals scho dyd nakyt aspy Ib. xv. 49.
Our nakyt solys Ib. v. iii. 61, x. vii. 154. c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 133.
Withouit thare naikit face I se 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9546.
On Gwydois nek ane nakit place he spyis, Quhair at … he stryks a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 114 (L).
His quaver be his nakkit theis 1633 Justiciary Cases I. 222.
Upone his naikit schoulderis and bak to ressaue sax strypis

3. Hyperbolically, destitute of proper clothing; hence, impoverished, destitute, wretched. Also fig. ?1438 Alex. i. 2346.
I wald be naked in my countre c1420 Wynt. i. 99.
Kennand that thai nakid ware And [had] of clethyng gret mystare 1456 Hay II. 132/15.
Ane ald wyf is calde and dry, nakit and trembland [etc.] 1514 Rec. Earld. Orkney 88.
He … maid knawin that he was fameist … in faute of fude, and nakit in faut of clething 1531 Bell. Boece I. 71.
Twa venerabill clerkis … bot thai war nakitt and schipbrokin c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5961.
Quhen I stude naikit at your yet 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 71.
For the pure sely nakit thyng As … for the potent kyng Ib. 97. Id. Minor P. i. 427.
The pure That gois nakit, begging from dure to dure 1567 Q. Mary in Melville Corr. 7.
Ye sall nocht faill to send my madynnis clais, for thai ar naikit 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 52.
Nakit and pure a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcv. 29. 1581 Treas. Acc. MS. 55(2) b.
Ane puir boy that wes naicked 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 357. c1590 Fowler I. 128/74. c1650 Spalding II. 4.
Thay war bot sillie, poor, naikit [B. nacked] soldiouris, burdenabill to the countrie and not meit for soldiariefig. 1549 Compl. 16/1.
To condamp & repreif this raggit naykyt tracteit

4. Without weapons or armour; unarmed. b. Said of unarmed ships. 1375 Barb. vii. 330 (E).
Sum of thaim nakit war … And sum his armys with him drew Ib. xiii. 98.
Agayne armyt men to fycht May nakyt men have litill mycht Ib. vii. 340, x. 431, xix. 567. c1420 Wynt. iv. 2143.
In this were … We sla thaim all anarmyd downe … ; And nakyd we slay thame in pes [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I. 147.
Thai … wer bot ȝoung, nakit pepill 1533 Boece iv. xiv. 147 b.
The King … vnwiselie rynnyng amang thame nakit without armour … was slane Ib. vi. iv. 192 b.
Parte war nakit, parte makand for defence 1535 Stewart 16974. 15.. Clar. i. 1255.
The quhilks … Ane naikit man hade bunde rycht fellounlie c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2045. 1564 Crim. Trials I. i. 455.
And stryking of thair seruandis, being nakit, with brydillis and swerd beltis 1579–91 Mar & Kellie MSS. Suppl. 33.
[He] with ane pistolat … beand … weill armit and I nakit 1582 Lanark B. Rec. 89.
Naket 1596 Dalr. I. 186/13.
Baith the parties war vnarmet or, as we vse to speik, naked men 1600 Crim. Trials II. 215.
His Maiesty … standing naked wythout any kinde of armour but his hunting horneb. 1602 Dundee Shipping P. 75.
To go with seik ane nayket bark among the Torkis gaylleis 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 155.
That all ships of force sall pay but half duetie of nakit ships

5. Exposed to attack, unprotected, ‘uncovered’. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1503.
Arestes … Vpon the tother wing saw Nicole thus Brak his aray and leaf his vangarde nakit 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 235.
The Romanis … seying thair sydis nakytt, wer astonyst Ib. II. 332.
At last the Dalphyn … fled … , throw quhilk King Johnne was left nakitt in the feild with his ȝoungest son c1650 Spalding Il. 200.
Naiked

6. a. Of an animal: Stripped of its coat, naked. b. Of a tree or of branches: Stripped of foliage, bare.a. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1257 (Bann.).
[The sheep] Nakit and bair syne to the feild couth pasb. a1500 Seven S. 340.
This noble tre stud … Nakit hurt & ill suprisit 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 65.
Woddis, forrestis, with nakyt bewis blowt

c. Of land: Devoid of vegetation; bare, waste, barren. 1533 Boece vi. xiii. 212.
Ane copios armye … leiffing feildis nakit and bare 1549 Compl. 92/32.
Ȝe sal be compellit to lau bir the naikyt feildis vitht ȝour auen handis 1565 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 599/1.
Terris de Abbottis Craig et lie naikit landis 1666 Glasgow Chart. II. 100.
Bot only of ane naiked and open statione which is four mylles from the north syde

d. Of a building or room: Denuded of its appurtenances, stripped, empty. Of a roof: Stripped of its covering (of slate or the like), bare. c1508 Ch. & M. Prints ii b/53.
A gentill horse in till a nakit stable 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 310.
The towris thairof are naikit and witheout skalȝe Ib. 313.
Quhilk hows is standane naikit, the tymmer conswmit and the sklaittis away

7. Nude, divested, denuded, devoid, destitute, of a thing, in various previous applications. Also fig. 1531 Bell. Boece I. xxiv.
The provident beginnar of the warld hes nocht but gret resoun maid thair region nakit and bair of winis Ib. 266.
Hering that Britane was nakit of support Ib. 274. Ib. II. 244.
With heid nakit of heumond Ib. 359.
Ane image of ane deid man, nakit of flesche and lire 1533 Boece iii. xvii. 116.
Bot barbare rude pepill nakit almaist of wapynnys and armoure Ib. viii. xiv. 283.
To suffir ws departe nakit of all oure gudis and clething c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 88 a/7.
Of alkin clething nakit and denud 1590 Culross I. 131.
Becaus the samyne is decayit and neakit in mony places of the thak 1608 Melrose P. I. 61.
The haill cuntrey being almost naiked and … spoylled of all the tymmer within the same c1650 Spalding II. 119.
We are naiked of armes, and especiallie destitute of pulderfig. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 16.
My translacioun … nakit of perfeccioun and rethory, siklike as implvme birdis to flicht 1533 Bell. Livy I. 64/9.
Mecius … als nakit of manhede and curage as he was of faith 1596 Dalr. II. 417/13.
That al sal weil vnderstand his wil to be naiket and bair of ony couering of dissimulance [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 536.
The Kirk strypit nakit of hir chieffe armoure

8. Of a sword, knife or the like: Not covered by a sheath or scabbard; unsheathed. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1129.
Pyrrus with naked swerd in hand ?1438 Alex. i. 1227, 3110. 1467 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 27.
That the said Thomas sal take the nakit knyff that he hurt the said William with in his hand and opynly knaw [etc.] 1492 Myll Spect. 283/12. a1500 Bk. Chess 1916. a1500 Seven S. 1935. 1530–1 Maxwell Mem. I. 261.
The sayd Schir James sall cum sark allane to the mercat croce and than sall offer ane nakyit schowrd … to the sayd erle 1533 Boece ii. ii. 60. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9405.
Ane naikit sword he laid thame twa betwene 1560 Montgomery Mem. I. 156.
[To] offir to the said Neile ane naikit sworde be the poynte, in taikin of thair repentence 1563 Inverness Rec. I. 110.
Cruwellie sett vpon the said James wyth neakit sourdis 1570 Leslie 82. 1596 Dalr. II. 9/36. Ib. I. 133/25.
Thay ansueret, na rycht or chartour, bot naket swordis, they wald haue 16.. Crim. Trials I. i. 229. 1615 Inverness Rec. II. 136.
With ane naikit durck

9. fig., in various non-material applications.a. Unconcealed, undisguised, open, obvious. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 64/21.
For thai knaw thair stink to na man almaist haistelie to be plesand, gif it stewit and reikit out naikit and plane

b. Of a statement: Unvarnished, straightforward, frank, plain, open, outspoken. Also nakit lawte, nakit trewth.(1) 1587-99 Hume 182/649.
Making my self odious … to the Prince also, give perhappes my naked narratives … cum to his long eares 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II. 76.
This letter was naked enough and … might have sufficiently manifested the outmost of Marre's intentione(2) a1500 Seven S. 2554.
The man … That kest his son in to the se For caus he him schewe nakit lawte — 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 120.
We are compellit for justifying of our cause to manifest the nakit trewth a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1141 (Wr.).
I … truely told the naked trueth To men that meld with mee

c. That is nothing more than the noun etc. implies; bare, mere, simple. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 48.
Thai that presumis owyr mekil of thair awin nakit frewill & gud deedis 1567 Acts III. 20/2.
Thay that affirme sacramentis to be nathing ellis bot nakit and bair signis 1597 James VI Dæmonol. 68.
The Deuilles parte therein, is but the naked carrying or expelling of that substance 1598 Crim. Trials II. 57.
In respect that thair is nathing qualefeit, bot ane naikit invasioun be allegit presenting, quhairvpoun na deid is qualifeit to haif followit 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 211.
Seing a naicked report hes produceit suche hard effect 1624 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 248.
That this chartour … is not ane simple and nakeit confirmatioun but conteanes also ane donatioun [etc.] 1626 Ib. 282.
Acquyrit na richt of propertie … bot onlie ane simple and nakit possessioun vpoun ane pretendit richt … of last aire 1628 Conv. Burghs III. 262.
Nather is this ane naikit feare or presumptioun for we know by experience that [etc.] a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 48.
All rentalls of the King's propertie … are of noe greater effect then ane naiked lyfrent 1634 Chron. Perth 5.
He was ane nakit stipendiar 1660 Douglas Chart. 342.
Naiked 1663 Decis. Lords G. 67.
To a burges who is never infeft, but bruicks by an act of court with a naked disposition 1673 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 185.
The naked going to the field could not haue brought him under … the law 1673 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 72.
Naked 1678 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 277.
Ane simple naked assignatione 1679 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 246. 1680 Id. Decis. I. 105. 1684 Id. Notices Affairs II. 575.
The naked concealler

d. Of a promise, declaration or the like: Not otherwise supported or confirmed, unsupported.

e. Of an allegation, suspicion or the like: Not supported by evidence or proof. 1410–11 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 30.
Thir aw na man … clamand for nane naykit wourd haiff pastour in our propir muyr 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 49.
For that is vnderstandyne … to be tyttar & sounar ane nakyt & a bar hecht than ony werray & lauchfull gyft 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 399.
Not anirly to sele a nakit saw 1472 Lennox Mun. 91. 1490 Acta Aud. 145/2.
For a nakit and simple promitt maid be the said erlle … to the said Issobell to gif hir the said landis c1500 Harl. MS 4700 282 a.
For his nakit sall [= saw] is nocht aneuch 1558 Inverness Sheriff Ct. MS. 38.
Thair was na thing producit nor schawin for the verificatioun of the said … allegatioun bot onlye nakit wordis 1568 Buch. Indict. 35.
Sche … wsand onlie this nakyt excuse 1570–71 Canongate Ct. Bk. 302.
The said Alexander … onlie maid ane naikit allegeance without ony verificatioun 1598 Marischal Coll. Rec. I. 92.
Bot a naked word 1608 Hist. Fam. Seton 908.
Soulde … be sufficient gairde from delatiouns and naiket suspitioun 1627 Justiciary Cases I. 68.
The persewaris naikit assertioun 1631 Ib. 161.
Being only of suspitiones and nakit presumptiones a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 163. 1632 Lithgow Trav. 457. 1681 Stair Inst. i. x. 3. 1687–8 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 513.
For horse hyres [etc.] … not subscrivit but in a nacked accompt 104 li. 4 s. 0 d.