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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1721

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†AFRIST, A FRIST, adv. meaning "when put off, or delayed."Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 32:
All ills are good a frist. [Explained by Kelly as "The longer a mischief is a coming, the better."]

[Prob. A = on + Frist. Cf. Mid.Eng. do in first = to delay, and O.E. on firste = in time — i.e. not at once, after an interval. But of frist occurs in 16th cent. Sc. — e.g. c.1565 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (1814) I. 238: All thir lordis war verrie blyth, thinking that all evill was guid of frist (quot. in N.E.D.)]

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"Afrist adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/afrist>

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