Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

BACK-GATE, n. [′bɑk′get]

1. lit. A back road.Bnff.² 1932:
Ye sid tak the back-gate fin ye're gaan hame; it's a hantle shorter.

2. fig. Cunning, deceitful action.Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
Ye tak ay back-gates, you never act openly.

Phr. to gae the backgate, to be guilty of mischievous or immoral conduct.Abd.² 1932:
A father reproving his boys for mischief might add, “Laddies, ye're a' gyaun the backgate.”Per. 1932 (per Abd.²):
An old man in Thornhill, Perthshire, had heard old folks saying, “You are going the backgate,” when others did anything wrong, but the word is not used there now.