Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

RUIT, v.², n.² Also rüt (Sh. 1899 Shetland News (2 Sept.)); rutt (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.), röt (Sh. 1898 Shetland News (20 Aug.)); reet (Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables frae French 77; Cai. 1961 Edb. John o' Groat Lit. Soc. 6). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. root, of a pig, to dig up with the snout. [røt, rɪt; n.Sc. rit]

I. v. 1. To poke about, to rummage, to leave things in confusion as a result of searching (I., n.Sc., Ayr., Kcb. 1968). Dial. or colloq. in Eng.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man 241:
There I was rooting and exploring.Cai. 1902 J. Horne Canny Countryside 57:
Bunyan writes o' a man wi' a muck-rake reetin' amang dirt.Sh. 1924 T. Manson Peat Comm. 100:
Rütin an stimin inta books.Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 234:
'They reeted and guttered in the engine.' He bent and twiddled his fingers as if he, too, was delving into the guts of a motor.

2. To work in a clumsy, ineffective manner, to fiddle about (Cai. 1968), freq. in phr. reet and fyke.Cai. 1930 John o' Groat Jnl. (21 Feb.) 2:
“Reetan an' fykan”, working in a somewhat laborious but desultory manner.Cai. 1961 “Castlegreen” Tatties an' Herreen' 22:
She wis reetan' 'iss wey an' 'at wey bit id wis no use.

II. n. In comb. reet an' fike, clumsy, ineffective work (Cai. 1968). Cf. 2. above.Cai. 1930 John o' Groat Jnl. (21 Feb.) 2:
Eftir many a deugan reet an' fike.