Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COOT, Quet, Queet, n. Also quit (ne.Sc. 1903 G. Sim Fauna of "Dee" 191). The guillemot, Uria troile (Abd. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 218, quet; Mearns 1825 Jam.²). Coot is used in Mod.Eng. only for the bald coot, Fulica atra; for forms in k, see Beld, adj.¹, Combs. (1). [Current pronunciation kwit]Bnff. 1870 in Bnffsh. Jnl. (25 Jan.) 6:
Four birds its winged glory . . . The Queet and Tammy-norie.Abd. 1773 S. Johnson Journey to Scot. (1775) 37–38:
One of the birds that frequent this rock [Buchan Ness] has . . . its body not larger than a duck's, and yet lays eggs as large as those of a goose. The bird is by the inhabitants named a Coot.Abd.¹⁶ 1936:
“The climmin' queets o' Gair'nston” is a phrase jocularly applied to the people of Gardenstown.