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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.

RIFT, v.¹, n.¹ Also ruft.

I. v. 1. To belch, to eructate (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Uls. 1931 Northern Whig (2 Dec.) 5). Gen.Sc.; to break wind backwards. Also fig. and in n.Eng. dial. Hence riftin, vbl.n., ppl.adj., belching, esp. in comb. riftin' fou, full to the point of satiety. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1723 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) III. 35:
(Fasting) brought a great wind to his stomach, he was much trubled with a rifting to the day of his death.Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 44:
It is a sign of a hale heart to rift at the rumple.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 27:
He draws The roosty trigger; and, as quick as thought, In awfu' splutter frae its riftin gab, He strikes a stane, sax ells ayont his aim.Edb. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 27:
It was hardly down when twa O' them began to rift.Ags. 1815 G. Beattie John o' Arnha' (1882) 187:
Spewin' reek and riftin' fire.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 177:
She keeped her [cow] ay rifting fu'.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 80:
I can sit by the burnie an' drink till I — rift.Rnf. 1862 A. McGilvray Poems 37:
Rifting fu' wi' bakes and gills.Abd. 1913 C. Murray Hamewith 88:
While the hoven monster snored, An' rifted in his dreams.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 13:
An whan A'd ti haud-sae, A wasna boass, — if the truth be telld, A was riftin-fowe!Ork. 1929 Old-Lore Misc. IX. ii. 81:
Whin dey hed pittin ower a' da whiskey, an' waar a' croos, Willo gaed 'is waas hame, riftin sairly.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 7:
Oh, it's aye the Place of Honour, the tap o' the table for
The man who eats mair than ony other six were able
for.
It's, "Noo, here's a tasty pick, dinna let the plate pass
you."
And gin Tartuffe should rift it's, "My! God bless you." wm.Sc. 1991 Janice Galloway Blood (1992) 144:
Duncan rifted and sighed. Your Aunty June's garden that one. He was wanting to tell a story. Never met June, sure you didn't. m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 54:
When you'd finished takin yir pleasure, ye jist turned ower, rifted, then fell asleep straight aff like a wean.

2. To exaggerate, to brag, to talk “big” or without foundation (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.; Abd. 1968). Deriv. rifty, full of empty verbosity, windy.Per. 1714 R. Smith Poems (1853) 62:
To the rifty poet of Strahardle and Glenshee.m.Lth. 1794 G. Robertson Har'st Rig (1801) 14:
Some carle that's weel ken'd to rift, Declares, whan in a blasting tift.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 163:
That hath caus'd the auld matron in rhyme for to rift.

II. n. 1. A belch, an eructation (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.). Gen.Sc.; the breaking of wind backwards. Also in n.Eng. dial. Also fig. Comb. brunt rift, heartburn (Sh. 1968), sour rift, id. (Abd. 1968). Phr. to hae the rift o', to be flatulent with (some imperfectly-digested article of food) (Ags., Per. 1968), to have (food) repeating.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 128:
Seenil do they ken the rift O' stappit weym.Ayr. 1790 J. Fisher Poems 79:
Her tail did her beguile, For frae the same she loot a rift.Peb. 1817 R. D. C. Brown Comic Poems 172:
Rifts and whoasts frae baith their ends.Sc. 1836 Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (Jun) 389:
Before I get all the rift off my stomach, it is needful to remark ... Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan II. ii.:
The moss . . . swalled up like a barm-scone, and first gae a hyke this way, syne a hyke that way, then a rift and a rair.Per. 1891 R. Ford Thistledown 242:
I'll hae the ruft o't the hale aifternoon.Ork. 1894 Sc. Fairy Tales (Douglas) 70:
The king and the folk drew back to a high hill, where they were safe from . . . his fearful rifts of fire and smoke.Abd. 1922 G. P. Dunbar Whiff o' Doric 11:
Tam wis fou, an' on his hamewith wye, An' aft he gied a muckle rift.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick iv.:
'Ere's naething waar nur 'e rift o' ingans.Sh. 1958 New Shetlander No. 46. 18:
Yon feesig at Kirsie comes wi ta settle da brunt rift!Ags. 1990s:
He loot oot a richt ruft: He emitted a loud belch.

2. An exaggerated account, a piece of empty verbiage, flowery language (Sc. 1825 Jam.); a boast, something to brag about (Abd. 1968).s.Sc. 1809 T. Donaldson Poems 146:
Tho' he's no up to rhymin rifts.Abd. 1930:
It wis nae great rift, i.e. nothing to boast of.

3. An animated, informal conversation, a lively chat (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 81:
Had a rift o' a crack about kye.Rnf. 1842 R. Clark Random Rhymes 16:
An aff-loof rift we'll hae thegither.Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 167:
Then rift an' sang join'd han' tae han' As hard as they could skelp.