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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AIRT, ART, AIRTH, ERT, v. tr. and intr. Gen.Sc.

1. tr.

(1) To direct, guide (a person) to a place, also with refl. pron.; to set (any object) facing or moving in a certain direction. Also fig. Also ppl.adj. airtit. Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Obs. Sc. Dial. 26:
To art one to any thing. To direct or point out anything to one.
Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xix.:
Jeanie, I perceive that our vile affections . . . cling too heavily to me in this hour of trying sorrow, to permit me to keep sight of my ain duty, or to airt you to yours.
Sc. 1899–1901 R. Ford ed. Vagabond Songs, etc. (1904) 270:
If there's a waddin' in a toun, I'll airt me to be there.
Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Banff. 8:
Airt, to place towards a certain quarter of the heavens; as, “See, lads, it ye airt the stooks richt.”
Ags. 1879 G. W. Donald Poems, etc. 59/2:
The gloomy cheerless gate seems lang That airts my hame sae far frae you.
w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 48:
Dang doun, the stane kens na the slicht
but thochtsome folk aye maun daur,
ti spier aboot thir culture's plicht,
'n wi airtit een towart the licht,
ding deave thir destiny staur.
Edb. 1900 E. H. Strain Elmslie's Drag-Net 51:
They never missed a chance o' airtin' business my way.
Ayr. 1787 Burns To James Tennant ll. 51–52:
Her kind stars hae airted till her A guid chiel wi' a pickle siller!
Gall. 1900 R. J. Muir Mystery of Muncraig 120:
Here Jen struck in and boldly declared that she would “airt” Rob a bittie on the road. Pa.p. as adj., airted: blowing, etc., from a particular direction.
Gsw. 1879 A. G. Murdoch Rhymes and Lyrics 79:
Hooch! but the win's are adverse airted.

(2) From direct, point out the proper course, may have arisen the meaning of incite, urge forward, as in the following quots. The word, however, with this meaning may be the survival of the Mid.Eng. and O.Sc. ar(c)t, to confine, to constrain, to force, hence, to incite. Lat. ar(c)tāre, to confine, ar(c)tus, confined.Fif. 1914 T.S.D.C. I.:
Airth, to incite.
Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons, Spring 24:
Up the steep, the herd wi' akin' shanks Pursues the fremmit yowe; and, now and then, Erts on the tir'd tyke with “Sheep awa a a!
w.Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne (1929) 34:
She's airtin' McCheyne on to be a somebody in the locality.
Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 10:
Airt — To encourage devilry. Thus we say of those who puff up others to fight, that they are airters of the savage broil; the word is never used in the other sense — to incite to laudable actions we never hear of any airted on to read the Bible for instance — but boys are said to airt on tykes to collieshangie ilk ither.

(3) To airt, airt out. To discover by search.Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
I airtit him out; I found him after long seeking.
Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A canna airt it.
Rxb.(D) 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes an Knowes 13:
An fient a trap, boaggie, geeg, laarrie, caager's cairt or hurlie cood A airt oot or hear tell-o gaun up Teiot.

2. intr. To direct one's way (to, towards a place), to make (for), to take the road (to); to point in a certain direction; (of wind) to blow (from a certain quarter).Sc. 1840 in Tait's Mag. VII. 588:
And he airts away to the mirk of heaven.
Sc. 1917 D. G. Mitchell Kirk i' the Clachan 163:
Did you ken it was that same Traveller airtin to gang wi' you?
Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 8:
The ween's gain' t' airt fae the east.
em.Sc. (a) 1920 J. Black Airtin' Hame 21:
The langest journey has a turn When facin' roon ane airts for hame.
Ags.3 1931:
He's airtin ti a coup — i.e. a fall (Arbroath).
Knr. 1925 “H. Haliburton” Horace in Homespun 171:
The townsman airtin' to the hills Does weel to charge his pistol.
w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 75:
Alane, it breirds in benmaist chaumer
o the mind.
The seedlin thocht airts ti the licht ti
fin its soul.
m.Sc. 1917 “O. Douglas” The Setons xv.:
I'm twenty-eight did you know? Already airting towards spinsterhood.
Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Airt, to move or make to, towards, or for a place.

[From Airt, n.2]

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"Airt v. tr.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/airt_v_tr>

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