Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1828, 1905-1994
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BEGIN, v., Sc. forms and usages of Eng. begin; weak pa.t. begint (Eng. began).
Sc. forms:wm.Sc. 1994 Duncan and Linda Williamson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 126:
An he rumbled it wi his hands an he stude back fae it. Then the amazines thing ye ever seen happent...the dust begint tae swell an begint tae rise - an it rose up on the top o the anvil - it tuik into this form. An it tuik into the form o the bonniest young wumman ye hed ever seen in yir life!
Sc. usages: in phrases begin to, begin us, etc.
1. intr. Begin to, commence on.Mry.2 1934:
Begin to your day's work.Ags.1 1934:
Ye'd better nae begin to [on] me.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) ii.:
My uncle . . . helped himself to one of the long black things, which . . . he shoved into his mouth, and began to.
2. tr. Begin, to start; gen. followed by personal pron.
(1) Say grace for.Sc. 1905 A.W. in E.D.D. Suppl.:
Begin us, say grace for us; a request to the minister.
(2) To start off any work so as to provide a standard or example.Bnff.2 1933:
We'll cairry on a' richt if eence ye begin's.Bnff.2 1933:
The fairmer aye gi'ed oot ower wi' new loons himsel' t' begin them.
3. The perfect and pluperfect tenses are freq. conjugated with be instead of have. Gen.Sc. Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. vi.:
I hae threshen as muckle wi' the flail as ever that thing'll dee through she war begun already. Abd. 1974:
I'm nae begun tae read it yet.Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 122:
He was begun the dealin.
