Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1845-1949
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0]
EART, Ert, Aert, n. Sh. forms and usages of Eng. earth (Sh.10 1949). See P.L.D. §165. Cf. Erd and Yird. [ert, ært, ɪrt]Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 11:
Bit gin the wur ae t'ing mair or anither on de face o' the e'rt' 'at he was f'ared for, hid wus a lo'did gun.Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (23 Feb.):
A cloister is no da best huvvy for da saat o da aert.
Combs.: ‡(1) eart bark, the roots of tormentil, Potentilla tormentilla, used medicinally and in tanning leather (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; 1914 Angus Gl.; 1947 Shet. Folk Bk. (ed. Tait) I. 81; Sh.10 1949); †(2) ert-bile, a quagmire or quaking bog (Sh. 1900 E.D.D.); cf. Bile, n.4; †(3) eart bleck, — blekk, a black earth found in mossy soil used as a dye or paint (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.: 1914 Angus Gl.); (4) eart-fast, earth-fast (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh.10 1950); see Erd, n., 3; (5) ert hyle, an earth-hole or pit (Sh. 1900 E.D.D.); (6) ert-kent, of world-wide reputation, known universally (Sh.3 1943; Sh.10 1949).(1) Sh. 1845 T. Edmondston Flora Shet. 35:
The large praemorse root (termed "Earth bark") is used as a substitute for oak bark in tanning for which purpose its intense astringency well fits it.Sh. 1931 J. Nicolson Tales 103:
The juice of the "eart' bark" (tormentil) was used as a tonic, and also as a corrective for disorder of the stomach.(2) Sh. 1897 Shet. News (29 May):
A hill fou o' yarfs, myres, ert-biles, muiry dubs, an' muckle burns.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 34:
Da weemen fok 'ill tink we' re faain atill a aert-bile.(3) Sh. 1879 Shet. Times (21 June):
'Eart-bleck' (. . . one of the compounds of iron), which they utilise as a black dye.(4) Sh. 1937 J. Nicolson Yarns 87:
On the night when the first winter moon was visible, the lasses were used to "rin aboot the eart-fast stane." Selecting a large stone that was firmly embedded in the ground, the performer would go round it three times with the sun, and three times against.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 70:
He wis beetlin awa wi' a muckle hammer apon a grate ert-fast lump o' stane.(5) Sh. 1899 Shet. News (18 March):
Ye needna faer him, if he keeps oot o' a yarf or a ert hyle.(6) Sh. 1897 Shet. News (17 June):
A'm no caring a hair if his lugs wis sholmarkit doon ta da skult, an' if wis as ert kent as da murrit yow o' Hascussay.Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 67:
Frae dat time the fiddlers o' Flammister wiz ert-kent.
