A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Scart, Scrat, n. Also: skart, scarth, skarth. [e.m.E. scrat (1542); Scart v. With the common Sc. metathesis of r + vowel (cf. Gers n., Gres n., etc.)] A scratch. Also, scart free, hail(l scart(h, without a scratch, uninjured, unhurt. See Haleskarth adj. for further instances.(1) a1585 Polwart Flyt. 542 (H).
With scarts and scores athort his frozin fronnt 1623 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 94.
Ane scart on the left neis 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 455.
All the children safe without a scart(b) 1662 Crim. Trials III 611.
We will haw the byttis, and rywis, and scrattis in owr bodies Ib.(2) a1689 Cleland 110.
All whom the lawyers do advise, Gets not off scart free(3) 1513 Doug. xi xiii 155.
Thy slycht and wylis sal thé nocht beir away, Nor haylscarth [Ruddim. hail skarth] hyne do turs thé hame fra ws Ib. xv 69. a1578 Pitsc. II 103/33 (see Haleskarth adj.).
Haill skart
