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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1817
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ANCIENT, n. A soubriquet for the Devil, an anglicization of The Auld Ane (see Auld, adj., 3.).Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 14:
We shall . . . laugh at Ancient on a speet, Till Hell is drained.
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"Ancient n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snd00087710>
