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.
ILL-DAE, v. Also -dee (ne.Sc.), -do (Sh.), -deu (Ork.); ull- (Abd.). To do wrong, behave badly. Found only in ppl.adjs., etc. and derivs.: 1. ppl.adjs. (1) ill-daein, badly behaved, mischievous, dissolute; not thriving. Gen.Sc.Rnf. 1850 A. McGilvray Poems 39:
Tormented wi' wasterfu' ill-doing wives.Abd. 1851 W. Anderson Rhymes 176:
Says, “Weel, ye may look blate-like baith, Ye ill-doing pair!”Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken xxiv.:
Wadna . . . belike ane o' the waesome Psaulms o' penitence be fitter baith for the puir bairn an' its ill-doin' faither?Ags. 1920 A. Gray Songs 30:
You ill-daein' wraith, gae hod your face!
(2) ill-dune, wrong, ill-behaved, perverse, mischievous (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Sh. 1897 Shetland News (20 Oct.), -dun) . Gen.Sc.Sc. 1828 M. and M. Corbett Tales and Leg. III. 28:
It was very ill done of the lassie to leave her father.Ags. 1889 Barrie W. in Thrums xix.:
That's yours, Jamie; it was ill-dune o' me to tak it, but I couldna help it.wm.Sc. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie 103:
It was rale ill done o' ye, Mr Tod, to tak' them oot withoot my leave.Abd. 1926 Abd. Univ. Rev. (March) 117:
It wiz ill-deen t' scare littlins wi ' styte o' that kin'.
(3) ill-deen-til, ill-used, badly or unfairly treated (ne.Sc. 1958).
2. Vbl.n. ill-daein, ull-deein, misdemeanour, bad behaviour (Sh., n.Sc., Ags., m.Lth. 1958). Rare or obs. in Eng.
3. Deriv.: ill-daer, evil-doer. Rare or obs. in Eng.; an animal that does not thrive. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 43:
Ill doers are ay ill dreaders.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie xiii.:
There's a terrible power o' ill-doers about London!Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 18:
An' a' yer ull-deein's an' ilka bit faut ye hear o', fan she his the teethache.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 11:
Ill-dee-ers floorishin like the green bay tree.Ork. 1931 J. Leask Peculiar People 150:
Muckle's wir need tae tank wir Maker 'at illdeuars cinna get ap wi' capers like dat noo.
