Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1913
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CLIVOO, Klivvy, Klev(i), Clavey, n. [′klɪvi (Marw.); ′kle:v(i) (Jak.)]
1. "A track or pathway up or down cliffs, usually a track difficult to traverse" (Ork. 1929 Marw., klivvy; Cai.3 1931, clavey); "a steep path" (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), klevi s.v. klev).Ork. 1913 J. Firth in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. VI. iii. 147:
Douglas Hemmigar, when passing through the clivoo (a steep road with high banks at each side) at the Banks of Buinyagnoy, was set upon by a creature he described as being "a' teeth an' een."
2. "Barren ground, a spot where the soil has been taken off the surface, leaving only the gravel or rocky ground" (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), klev; 1914 Angus Gl., klevi).
[O.N. kleif, klif, a cliff, a rocky ascent (Zoëga); Norw. kleiv (Torp), kleif, klev, id. (Falk and Torp), Idg. root *gli, to stick. For ending in clivoo' see note to Cline.]
