Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1737, 1823-1979
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CHEATRY, CHEATRIE, CHEATERY, Chaitry, n. Also cheaterie. [′tʃitri, ′tʃetrɪ̢]
1. Deceit, fraud, swindling. Gen.Sc. Rarely used in Mod.Eng., latest quot. 1867 in N.E.D. Not given in Concise or in Un. Eng. Dicts.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs 41:
Keep out of his Company that cracks of his Cheatry.Abd.(D) 1929 W. Robbie Mains of Yonderton 100:
An' fat his a' his meanness and chaitry come till?m.Sc. 1979 Donald Campbell in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 67:
nou ye're atween him and the waa,
wi the pox fair dirlin in ye,
ill-mainnered cheaterie anaa.Fif. 1909 Colville 127:
Poetical justice was gleefully noted with a "cheatery's choket you!" . . . when Nemesis brought ill luck.Gall. 1877 "Saxon" Gall. Gossip 56:
It's naething but cheatery frae beginning tae end.
†2. Used attrib., fraudulent, deceitful.Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
The old adage, "Cheatrie game 'ill aye kythe," i.e. false play will shew itself sooner or later.Per. a.1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1843) 150:
Maids are witches — we the fools They cast their cheatrie glamour on.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail III. xxix.:
No to let your bairns be rookit o' their right by . . . the twa cheatrie Milrookits.
3. Comb.: cheatery-packery, "deception, fraud, cheating" (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Cf. jookery-packery, see joukerie.
[O.Sc. cheatry, the practice of cheating, quots. 1685 and 1688 (D.O.S.T.); E.M.E. chetory, 1532, from cheat, v.]
