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.
GILT, v. 1. tr. To gild (Ork.5, Ags.19, Knr.1 1954). Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1729 C. D. Bentinck Dornoch (1926) 289:
Robert Lithgow, wright, was instructed to erect one “in the North Isle of the Church of Dornoch . . . not above twenty two Shilling Sterling nor yet below that summe, and gilt the same black.”Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 27:
A Roman urn, wi' siller labs, An' China ware, wi' giltet gabs.
2. intr. To become yellow; esp. of fish in the early stages of decay: “such fish are said to be gilted” (Bwk.3 1954). Cf. Gild, v.1Sc. 1707 Records Conv. Burghs (1880) 429:
As to the salmond barrell, experience hes proven that the fish keep much better and more free from gilting in a lesser then a greater bind.Peb. 1843–5 Trans. Highl. Soc. 52:
When a few fleeces which have been saturated with natural or artificial yolk are thrown into a batch of clean wool, they never fail to prevent it gilting, or assuming a yellow tint of colour during the process of manufacture.
