Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†HEST, n. Also hesten, -in (Jak.), -een (Jam.). A horse, stallion (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)), in fishermen's tabu-language; horses, generically (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 106, 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.). The fem. form hesta, a mare, is also given (Id.). Combs.: (1) hesta(-foal), “a wild boy, prop[erly] a colt” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); (2) hestensgot, -kot, a pen or enclosure for horses (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 105, -got, 1914 Angus Gl., -kot) [Norw. dial. hestegard, O.N. hestagarðr, id.]; (3) hestikliven, coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara (‡Cai. 1957). Cf. cliv, Cluif, and Norw. hestehov, id.
[Norw. hest, O.N. hestr, id. The form hesten represents the suffixed article, Norw. hesten, O.N. hestrinn, the horse, and hesta, the O.N. gen. pl. common in combs. Hesta (fem.) is on the analogy of Norse fem. words in -a.]
