Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866-1914
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BLAD, n.3
1. “A person who is of a soft constitution; whose strength is not in proportion to his size or looks. It is often applied to a young person, who has become suddenly tall, but is of a relaxed habit” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.).Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.:
“A blad of a man” — a delicate, weakly person.1908 Jak. (1928)1914 Angus Gl.
Hence bladi, adj., feeble (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); 1914 Angus Gl.).
2. “A useless thing” (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.).
[Prob. from O.E. blæd, a leaf, a thing of no importance, O.N. blað, a leaf.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Blad n.3". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/blad_n3>
