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.
SLIT, n., v. Also slitt (Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 325). Dim. slitty (Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 189). Sc. form and usages:
I. n. 1. As in Eng. Specif. in Sc. a type of sheep-mark consisting of a cut in the ear (Kcb. 1970).Abd. 1778 Aberdeen Jnl. (24 Aug.):
A Nip and a Slit on one of each's Ears.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Description (1891) 185:
These [sheep marks] received such names as a shear, a slit, a hole.
‡2. One of the segments of an orange (Abd.13 1910).
3. In pl.: the reeds in a weaver's loom. But poss. a miswriting of splits, id.Slk. 1789 R. Hall Galashiels (1898) 286:
The friction the whiels cases upon the Slits heath rendered our stok almost Euseless.
4. “A splinter; a splinter of rotten timber” (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.).
II. v. As in Eng. in combs. (1) slit-mill, a slitting mill, for splitting iron bars or plates; (2) slit-nail, a split-pin.(1) Sc. 1776 A. Smith Wealth of Nations ii. i.:
The furnace, the forge, the slit-mill.Gsw. 1782 Caled. Mercury (13 Feb.):
Broomielaw Croft, the Slit-mill and Tools.(2) Per. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Per. 96:
An oblong hole, into which a slit-nail is put, that keeps the teeth immoveable.
