Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BAIRD, n. Sc. form of Eng. beard (Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; I., n.Sc., em.Sc. (a) 1975; Sh., Ork., Cai., Ags., Edb., Arg., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s).Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 136:
Twa auld men wi' lang bairds aneath their chin. Dmb. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xiv.:
This kind o' buff-coloured baird o' mine. Abd. 1875 G. MacDonald Malcolm iii.:
The slaver rinnin' doon his lang baird.em.Sc. 1988 James Robertson in Joy Hendry Chapman 52 72:
Weill, they sat an they spied, an the derk drew in, an their lang lyart bairds raxed doun tae their hochs, an on they sat, an a bit haar crap up on their sax auld buits, ... Edb. 2003:
His hair wis white but he had a fine, black baird on him.
Hence bairdie, (1) adj., transf. of cheese: mouldy, hair-moulded (Lth., Ayr., Dmf. 1975); (2) dim. of baird, a piece of old straw rope teased out like a beard and kindled by salmon poachers as a torch to lure fish to the surface of the water.(2) s.Sc. 1885 W. Scrope Salmon Fishing 220:
I was nae little fashed wi' the unsonsie callant blowin' up the bairdie every now and than, to mak' sure that it wasna oot.
