Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HIT, v.
A. Sc. forms: 1. Pr.t.: hit; hut (Mry.1 1925; Lnk. 1953); het (Ags. 1825 Jam., 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) xi.).
2. Pa.t.: hit; hat(t) (Sc. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 62; Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 117; s.Sc. 1836 H. S. Riddell St Matthew xxvii. 30; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 326; Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables frae French 11; w.Sc. 1929 R. Crawford Quiet Fields 31; Sh., Cai., ne.Sc. 1957), †hatte (Sc. 1828 Blackwood's Mag. (Nov.) 567); hut(t) (Lnk. 1895 W. Stewart Lilts and Larks 237; Edb. 1931 E. Albert Herrin Jennie 105; Abd., Edb., Bte., Ayr., s.Sc. 1957). Also weak pa.t huttit.Abd. 1985 Robbie Kydd in Alexander Scott New Writing Scotland 3 40:
'When she gied me the strap,' he says, 'she missed ma hand an hut me on the wrist....'Edb. 1999:
Mammy, she huttit me!Dundee 2000 Ellie McDonald Pathfinder 6:
An we wir hyne awa
afore the polis hut the broken gless.
3. Pa.p.: hitten (Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 96; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; Ags. 1911 Rymour Club Misc. I. 188; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh., Abd. 1957), hittin (Sc. 1887 Jam.), hutten (s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell Psalms iii. 7; Mry.1 1925; Arg.1 1932; Abd., Edb. 1957); hotten (Sc. 1911 S.D.D. Add.); hit (Fif. 1957), hat (Sh. 1957), hut (Edb., Bte., Ayr., Dmf. 1957). Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 16:
Noo mi problem wis that I wis a bit trash tae pit in mi weeks notice cos this big ill-natured gaffer wid hae hut mi as quick as look at mi.
B. Sh. usage: to throw, to pitch (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1957). Also found in Eng. dials.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (26 Feb.):
Fling him [it] ower da raep, or hit him inby da fire.Sh. 1899 Ib. (4 Nov.):
He hokid da dottle oot o' his pipe, an' hatt hit i' da fire.
