Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CUTTANCE, CUTTANS, Cuttin'(s), Cuttings, Cuttens, n.

‡1. An account; news (Abd.¹³ 1910, cuttins; Abd.⁹ 1941).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 123:
Some ither questions mair he speerd, but she Cud o' hersell nae proper cuttance gee.

2. Encouragement (Bnff.² 1928, cuttens; Abd.⁹, Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Slg.³ (cuttings) 1941), “change.”Abd. 1928 Letters of Jeems in Abd. Weekly Jnl. (30 Aug.) 6/5:
I gae 'im little cuttin' an' b' wye o' a pairtin' shot he tell't me I shud be ostracees'd.Abd.¹ 1931:
A gaed owerbye tae let 'er ken the wye A made my kail, bit A got nae cuttans fae 'er.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
She gied him unco little cuttin's, yet that didna hinder him frae comin' back again.Bwk. 1930 in People's Friend (27 Sept.):
“She got no cuttance from me,” meaning “she got no encouragement from me.”