Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1817-1825
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
†SLAIRT, v., n., adj. Also slaurt. [slert]
I. v. 1. To gobble food in a messy way, to eat quickly and gluttonously (w.Sc. 1880 Jam.).
2. To treat with contempt and contumely, to insult, “do down”, scorn.Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 108:
Till to this cure [whisky] I took adherence Tho' gude fo'k slaurt it.Fif. 1825 Jam. s.v. Pallawa:
“Will I be slairtit be sic a Pallawa?” Shall I be outdone by such a poltroon?
3. Gen. with about: to lounge around in a slovenly fashion (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.).
II. n. A useless, loafing character, a weakling, “a silly dastardly fellow; a term used by the fishers of Buckhaven” (Fif. 1825 Jam.).
III. adj. Of persons: idle, slovenly, useless, contemptible (Sc. 1880 Jam.).
[The forms may not all belong to the same word. I. 1. may be altered from slairk, Slairg, or Slerp; 2. suggests a fig. use of obs. Eng. and Sc. slate, to bait with dogs, to set a dog at; the others may be intensive variants with -r- of Slait.]
