Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HERTLESS, adj. Also heartless. Sc. usages:
1. Disheartened, discouraged, dejected, spiritless. Gen.Sc. Now mostly arch. or poet. in Eng.Sc. 1753 Scots Mag. (July) 315:
A shapeless, helpless, heartless body.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 18:
In this poor pickle heartless Nory lies, Rowing her head, amind to never rise.s.Sc. 1793 T. Scott Poems 359:
Thrice owr Annie's name did blatter, Syne sank heartless on the yerd.Abd. 1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 85:
But heartless ower thy fate I'll croon, An' sever'd ties.
2. Cheerless, dismal, discouraging (Abd., wm.Sc., Dmf. 1957).Ayr. 1786 Burns Winter i.:
And bird and beast, in covert, rest, And pass the heartless day.Mry. 1804 R. Couper Poems I. 183:
The stibble field, Seems unco heartless round.w.Sc. 1929 R. Crawford Quiet Fields 36:
Gie me the hill at dwynin' day; Ae hertsome star in hertless blae.Abd. 1957:
It's a gey hertless state o' affairs.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Hertless adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hertless>