Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LYTHE, n., v. Also lyth, lith(e); laith (w.Sc. 1698 M. Martin St Kilda (1818) 19); lied, lyd, laid (Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fif. 53). [lɑeð; Wgt. lɑed]
I. n. The pollack, Gadus pollachius (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; e.Lth., Bwk. 1919 T.S.D.C.; Ork., ne.Sc., wm.Sc., Gall., Uls. 1961).Sc. 1705 J. Spreull Accompt Current 11:
Whiteings, Haddocks, small Cod, Lyths, Macreels, Spirlings.Sc. 1746 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) I. 174:
He catched with hand-lines fishes called lyths, somewhat like young cod.Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XI. 13:
Scad, called here lyth or lyd.Ags. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 XI. 256:
The wolf, hog, cat, hawk, cole, and lied-fish.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Raiders iii.:
There was nothing except lythe and saithe in the nets.Ork. 1951 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 76:
I would on summer mornings, aff Skaehua, haal the creels, Or fish for lythe.Abd. 1952 Abd. Press & Jnl. (8 Sept.) 6:
White Fishing Prices . . . lythe, 4/–6/-; saithe, 1/–3/- . . . all per stone.
II. v. In vbl.n. lything, fishing for pollack (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.).
[A variant form of Ly, q.v., with -the from Saithe, another species of coal-fish.]
