Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FAIZE, v.1 Also faise, fease, †feaze, †feze. Deriv. form faiz(z)en (s.Sc.). [fe:z(n)]
1. tr. and intr. To unravel (of something woven or spun), to fray (Mry. 1813 W. Leslie Agric. Nai., Gl., feaze; v., n. and em.Sc. 1950; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk.3, Rxb.4 1952, faizen). Freq. with oot.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
That thread'll no go through the eye of the needle; it's a' feazed at the point.Bnff.6 1920:
The tail o' yer tap-quite, guidman, is faisin' oot, I see. I'll need to gie't a hem.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 20:
A shauchlin, husslin-shoodert keibult wui . . . stoory claes aa tairgets an spatches an faizzent-ends.
Hence faizins, faisins (Sc. 1825 Jam.), faizenins (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), frayed ends, threads or edge.
2. Of metal or wood: to make rough, splintered or jagged at the edges (Bnff.2, Abd.2 1941); to turn the edge (of a razor) (Mry. 1813 W. Leslie Agric. Nai., Gl., feaze).Kcb. 1721 Kelton Session Minutes (13 April):
He found the teeth in the other end of the barn . . . and that the teeth were fezed upon the sharp end.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
Get a verrule put to your staff, the end o't's a' faiz'd.Bnff.6 1920:
Ye've faist the iron o' yer plane, loon.
