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.
BACKAR'T, BACKARTS, BACKARTIES, adv. Backward(s).Sc. [1831] Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 266:
Keeps stoiterin and stacherin, and tumblin, . . . and feenally fa'in backarts on a sack.Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxiv.:
It wud 'a requar't only twa scrapes o' the pen fae me fan aw was makin' oot my report to gar Sir Simon tak' a vizzy backar't.Ags.1 1932:
Ye're wrang wi' the date; we're gaein' backarties.Ags. 1993 Mary McIntosh in Joy Hendry Chapman 74-5 113:
He wis gaen wrang aa thegither, it maun be aa the bluid he had tint. His guid haund gruppit the braig i his belt. The wummin taen a stap backart.
