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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FREEST, v., n. Also freist, friest. A ne.Sc. form of frost, in derivs. freestit, frosted (Abd.4 1928), freesty, frosty (Abd.15 1882; Bch. 1924 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 57).m.Sc. 1994 Billy Kay in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 145:
They puit wuiden trees an stells in tae haud up the ruifs o seams that are wrocht, but whit guid's wuid against the like o friest an sodden grun soakit ower hunners o years.
Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 12:
Whan yon snell wund sets i the east,
A'm cruppen thegither wi cauld.
Whan the milk kirn is cuivert wi freist,
it's than that A ken that A'm auld.

[The vowel development is irreg. and may be influenced by freeze. The form may derive from a Mid.Eng. variant with long vowel.]

11971

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