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.
BIRD-ALANE, -LANE, adj. Also -aleen (ne.Sc.). Quite alone. See also Burd-alane. Sc. 1824 J. G. Lockhart Scott (1837) V. xii.:
I am here, according to the old saying, bird-alane.Abd.27 1951:
Baith her father and mither are deid an she's bird aleen noo.Lnk. 1893 J. Crawford Sc. Verses and Sangs 36:
He was left bird-alane when a wee tottin' lamb.
Phr.: her bird-lane, by herself.Sc. 1835 J. Mayne in Gsw. Jnl. of Gen. Lit. (19 Dec.):
Doon the burnside, i' the lown o' the glen, Meg reists her bird-lane, i' a but-an-a-ben.
