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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

COUP-CAIRT, -Cart, Cowp-, Coop-, n. comb.

1. A cart with closed sides or ends, used for carting dung, etc. (Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹⁷, Lnk.¹¹ (for Rxb.) 1940). Cf. Coup, n.³, 2.Sc. 1805 R. W. Dickson Practical Agric. I. 36:
A single-horse cart . . . is termed the close or coup-cart.Rxb. 1798 R. Douglas Gen. View Agric. Rxb. 135:
Mr Dawson . . . immediately began to lay clay marl, on part of a farm . . . at the rate of 330 coop-carts per acre.

2. A cart made to tip, so that it may be unloaded without unyoking the horse (Sc. 1855 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 722, coup cart). Also called coup-up cairt (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Known to Ork.¹ (for Rs.), Bnff.², Abd.², Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Kcb.¹⁰ (for Ayr. and Kcb.) 1940.Ags. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XII. 185:
The writer of this has been told, that in the year 1750, there were but two box-carts, or what is here called coup carts, in the parish, but at present there is no other kind made use of here.Fif. 1938 St Andrews Cit. (16 July) 12/2:
Advt. [to be sold] — 2 Coup Carts.Edb. 1749 Caled. Mercury (24 Jan.): 
He proposes . . . to publish Descriptions of all his Harrows, Rollers, Fanners, Coup barrows . . . large and small Coup-carts.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-head and Trotters 295:
A' the cairts — baith lang anes an' coup anes — were to be new pentit too!Bwk. 1809 R. Kerr Gen. View Agric. Bwk. 167:
The body of the cowp-cart is attached to the shafts by a peculiar kind of hinges, which allow of elevating it before, either partially or intirely, to facilitate the discharge of its load backwards.