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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BORT, Boart, v. and n. [bɔrt, boərd, bɔrd (Marw.)]

1. v. Of a bed of rock or of a stone: to split, separate into layers or strata. See also Boord.Ork. 1911 J. Spence in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. IV. iv. 184:
I had heard stonebreakers saying that the stones they wrought in were bad to “boart.”
Ork. 1929 Marw.:
This steens 'll no bort ava.

2. n. (See quot.)Ib.:
“There's no b[ort] in it” — i.e. it has not any seam or split, is not stratified.

[Prob. from O.N. borð, a board, plank, table. The cogn. Boord, q.v., is used in the same sense as the Ork. word. Cf. also board in Eng. dial. (E.D.D.) and boardway's course s.v. board, n. (N.E.D.).]

4009

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