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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AW(E), YAUW, AVE, AAV(E), AFF, n.¹ Also aa. [ɑ: Abd., Ags.; jɑ: Abd. (old); ɑ:v + ɑ:f Bch., L.Bnff., Mry.; ǫ: m.Sc.; ɒ: Kcb.]

1. Flat board attached to each stud of an undershot or breast water-wheel (Per. 1799 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (6 Feb.)).Sc. c.1793 Stat. Acc.¹ (Unst, Sh.) V. 193:
The water falls upon the awes, or feathers of the tirl, at the inclination of between 40 and 45 degrees.Mry.², Bnff.², Abd.⁵ 1929:
Still known by old people and pronounced ave or aff (in compounds).Ags.¹ 1932:
Known to millers.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 35:
Awse o' a Millwheel — Those boards fixed on the periphery of a wheel, to receive the water after it leaves the trowse.

2. The sail or shaft of a windmill.Abd. 1825 Jam.²:
The aws of a windmill, the sails or shafts on which the wind acts.Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii.:
Some war . . . slappin' their airms like the yauws o' a win'mill.

3. Combs.: (1) Open-awed, adj. (See quot.)Fif. c.1898 J. M. in E.D.D.:
When the water is applied to a wheel abreast the axle and the floats are flat, that sort of wheel is called an open-awed wheel.

(2) Start an ave, start an awe, startin ave or aff. (See quots.)ne.Sc. 1884 W. Gregor in N.E.D.:
Start-and-ave wheel; that is a wheel on the boards or aves of which the water struck, in opposition to “bucket-wheel.”Mry.² 1929:
In my young days there were a good many “briest” wheels or “start an ave” as we called them. Two years ago, I valued one of them. [The Start, q.v., is a piece of wood fixed in the rim of the wheel to which the awe is bolted. O.E. steort, a tail, as in bird-name red-start.]Bnff.¹ 1930:
Startin ave (undershot wheel) was in general use in The Enzie [Bnffsh.].