Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†FORE-HALVE, n. Prop. of a sheep-mark: the front half (of the top of the ear) cut away. Cf. Fore-helman. Ppl.adj. fore-halved, and, with double ending, -halfted.m.Lth. 1734 Caled. Mercury (10 June):
Thirty Ew and Wedder Hogs, some of them belonging to Servants, but mostly marked, fore-halfted in the near Ear, and cut in the far.Slk. 1831 Quarterly Jnl. Agric. III. 445:
This year, however, I changed my mark to a fore-halve.Ib. 446:
Did you, sir, never catch a salmon or sea-trout that was back-halved or fore-halved in the tail?
