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.
¶HIRSPA, n. Also hurspa. Thin, stony ground. Also used attrib. and in comb. hirspa pin, the uppermost pin on the wing of a wooden plough used as a guide to the depth of furrow.Ork. 1903 G. Marwick Old Roman Plough (1936) 9:
At one time the ivver ski pin was also called the hurspa or hirspa pin — or the pin that was always above the earth or mould in stony or light ground. The word hirspa is still used in Orkney for or to denote thin stony ground.
