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.
Quotation dates: 1779
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BEY, n.2 This is the same as St.Eng. bay (see O.E.D., bay, n.3 2), "the space lying under one gable, or included between two party-walls." A twa bey would therefore mean an addition of two compartments to the gable end of a house. For collective bay, cf. in O.E.D. "Ten bay of Buildings," 1759. [bəi]Lnk. 1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 12:
She's to big a twa bey to her ain gavel to be a dwelling house to me an my wife.
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"Bey n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bey_n2>
