Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FEESANT, n. Also †feasine; pheesan, pheasan', phaisant; fazian (Dwn. 1907 Northern Whig (30 Nov.)). Sc. forms of Eng. pheasant. Cf. Ephesian. Reduced dim. form faizie (Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 162). [Sc. ′fi:zən(t), but n.Sc., Per., Fif., Lth., Uls. ′fe:ʒən, Ayr., s.Sc. ′fe:zn(t)]Ags. a.1740 in Sc. N. & Q. (2nd Ser.) X. 93:
Ducks and Turkys and feasine fowls in plentie.Sc. 1834 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) IV. 98:
I ken naethin about feesants.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 25:
A pheasan', aye oor enemy, Dang doon oor hoose an' gart us flee.Abd. 1920 G. P. Dunbar Peat Reek 18:
There the peertrick an' feesant, the meercock an' a'.wm.Sc. 1988 Scotsman 1 Oct 4:
Of the sparrowhawk, some of them still say: "Well, they're sair on the phaisants." Whose phaisants?
