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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†PLACAD, n., v. Also placade, placaat, plaicaird; placaert; plakad; ¶playcaird (Lnk. 1890 H. Muir Rutherglen 69). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. placard. [plə′kɑ:d]

I. n. 1. A notice on public display, a bill, poster, placard, an official proclamation or announcement (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.).Sc. 1701 Acts Parl. Scot. (1844) X. 261:
The said Sir William his severe placad and intercommuneing.Slg. 1770 Session Papers, Drummond v. Haldane (13 Dec.) 23:
Posts erected with tickets or placades thereon, notifying the stopping that road.wm.Sc. 1991 James Russell Grant in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 54:
Plaicairds an notices screichin at ye like a lot ae parrots
It's douce an taen ma fancy this workaeday street

2. A summons, call. Rare. Appar. orig. in some 18th c. Jacobite song adapted by Burns and Scott.Ayr. 1784 Burns When Guildford Good vii.:
The Saxon lads, wi' loud placads, On Chatham's boy did ca'.Sc. 1817 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) IV. 379:
The Highland lads wi' loud placads Cried fourough Whigs awa, man.

II.v. With pers. obj.: to publish or utter derogatory statements about (a person), “to defame a person by disclosing and publishing his faults” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., plakad), to tell tales about, calumniate. This usage seems to have survived, by formal confusion with blackguard, in Blackgaird, v., 1.Sc. 1700 Acts Parl. Scot. X. 264:
All of that particular which Mr William would exagerat and term Placading.Sc. 1744 Caled. Mercury (9 Jan.):
How far the Magistrates could in such a case refuse Bail, and afterwards placaert the true Owners as Thieves, they are to answer.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xxix.:
It would never do to placard Lovat, and his wife a Campbell. Say not a word about it.