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.
Quotation dates: 1818, 1872-1931, 1988-1998
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ANCIENT, AUNCIENT, Auntient, Anshint, Anshent, Encient, adj. In St. Eng. senses, and in others given below (B. 1 and 2). Compar. a(u)ncienter, superl. a(u)ncientest. [′ɑnʃənt]
A. Examples of Sc. forms (in the ordinary sense).Sc. 1818 S. Ferrier Marriage I. v.:
It's melancholy . . . that a fine auntient race like ours should be dying away for want of male heirs.Sh.(D) 1891 Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 93:
Da Tory gabs o anshint richts.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 9:
Eftir an eident howkin o the yird,
the Reverend Tumshie offert up a prayer,
ower bruckle auncient banes set lair on lair,Fif. 1872 Mrs G. Cupples Tappy's Chicks 65:
The very butcher said ". . . he had killed scores in his lifetime, but an auncienter never."Fif. 1998 Tom Hubbard Isolde's Luve-Daith 3:
Sae I come greetin ower your braken corp
An haud it gentlie gin this staunin-stane
Auncient an roch as wis your Governal,Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 81:
That's the Black Water o' Dee, the graunest an auncientest water in Gallawa!Uls.(D) 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings by Robin 61:
Getherin' up a' the auld anshent things they can get a haud o'.
B. Other senses.
1. Of children: old-fashioned, precocious, having the ways or intelligence of a grown-up person. (Also in Eng. dial.) Gen.Sc.Bnff.2 1931:
She sits a' day at the fireside, peer thing, an' her anshent facie wid gar ye greet.Lnk. 1881 A. Wardrop Poems, etc. 98:
There's oor wee Johnnie wi' his pipe, An' oor wee Nellie cryin' dinna; But yet he'll do't, the ancient snipe, While she'll mask tea in her wee tinnie.
2. Cunning.Bnff.2 1931:
Ye winna che't me; I'm as aul's ye're anshent (proverbial phrase).Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn. 2:
Anncient, Encient, adj., cunning, knowing: "A sea-gull's a very anncient bird."
C. Comb.: Anshent-lookin, old-fashioned, out of date.Bnff.2 1931:
I thinkna muckle o' yir saw 'at ye're blawin' aboot; it's a gey anshent-lookin tool.
