Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SKROTTIE, n. Also skrotti, skrottee, skrot(t)yee, scrottyie, skrotyei, skrootie, scroittie; skrotta, skroita, scriota. [′skrɔte].
1. Lichen, esp. Parmelia saxatilis, used in the production of a natural dye (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1970).Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Description 442:
The Lichen parietinus (named by the Shetlanders Scriota), dyes cloth of an orange colour.Sh. 1956 U. Venables Life in Shet. 137:
I mind seeing her work with yon scrottyie, yon grey lichen you scrape off the stanes. She made up a brawly thick gruel, ye ken, and had it boiling abun the fire in a muckle three-taed kettle with the layers of yarn packed between.
2. The dye extracted from these plants; hence the colour of this dye, of a brownish yellow or reddish orange tint (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 193, 1914 Angus Gl. Sh. 1970). Also attrib. of cloth coloured with this dye.Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 592:
A pere o' skrottee breeks.Sh. 1841 Trans. Bot. Soc. Edb. I. 124:
The plant employed to die (sic) Brown is the Parmelia saxatilis called here “Scrottyie”. The colour also takes that name, and is of a peculiar ferruginous shade.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 141, 181:
A triangular clipping of skrootie claith.Sh. 1949 P. Jamieson Letters 210:
Skroita, or skroitti, is a sort of reddish-orange tinge, not very commonly met with in the flocks.
