Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
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.
BITE, v. Pa. t. bait (Slk. 1817 Hogg Tales (1837) II. 152; s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 203; Per., Fif., Lth. 1923-6 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; ne.Sc. 1975) [bet].
1. In phrs.: (1) to bite his ain thoomb, used with negative, expressing intoxication; (2) to bite one's lug, to flatter, cajole, wheedle. Cf. Eng. to bite one's ear, id., and Bite-ma-lug; (3) to bite the bairns, proverbially, to repay good with evil, to require kindness with mischief or treachery, to abuse hospitality (see 1729 quot.).(1) Abd. 1877 W. Alexander North Rural Life in 18th Cent. xvii.:
He did fulfil the will o' the dead, for before the end o' 't there was nae ane o' us a' able to bite his ain thoomb.(2) Edb. 1906 V. Spiganovicz Night Life 16:
No, my lad, you are not going to bite my lug.(3) Sc. 1729 W. Macintosh Essay on Inclosing 276:
Every Ferry-boat, every Haddock, Oyster, or Whiting Boat, is a Commodore, or Vice-Commodore, as I'm informed, the Dutch jeeringly call'd our few Bushes that anchor'd with them in our Ports last Summer, rallying them and making them all Flag Officers. This is indeed Coming in for God's sake, and biting the Bairns as we say in our Scots proverb.
2. fig. In Carpet bowls: see quot. Kcb. 1954:
A bool is said to be bitin' if its vertical projection just touches or crosses a ring line.
