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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DEETH, Deith, n. Variant forms of Eng. death (Cai. 1909 D. Houston'e Silkie Man 6, deith; Cai.⁷, Abd.², Fif.¹ 1940, Mearns ⁶ 1949; Uls. 1910 C. C. Russell People and Lang. of Uls. 22). Cf. Daith. [diθ (see P.L.D. §§ 88 and 120)]Abd. a.1880 W. Robbie Yonderton (1929) 135:
Neen o' ye wir at the pains t' tell me o' the aul' man's deeth till aw heard it be the merest chance twa days aifter.Fif. 1991 William Hershaw in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 166:
The year turns like a hearse wheel, sweir
Ti win the slottry world awo fae deith,
Ti rax a resurrection, speir
Despair and horror brak wi the Sun's bricht breith Fif. 1991 William Hershaw in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 169:
Syne we craw
At the deith o Socialism and nivir speir oor thirldom.m.Sc. 1982 Douglas Fraser in Hamish Brown Poems of the Scottish Hills 8:
But still ae spell, it's trith to tell,
Will last until my deith. Edb. 1922 P. Macgillivray Bog-Myrtle and Peat Reek 86:
On some she pits the fear o' deith.Kcb. 1911 G. M. Gordon Auld Clay Biggin' 19:
John . . . cud pit the fear of deith upo' a' the poachers i' the district.

Combs.: 1. deith letter, “a letter of invitation to a funeral” (Cai.⁷ 1943); ¶2. deith-shanks, skinny legs like those of a skeleton.2. Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock xlix.:
An', for returnin' evil, did I no haud the dog frae the deith-shanks o' 'im?

Phr. to tak ane's deeth, to die (Sh., Cai., em.Sc. (a) 1975). See also Death n.