Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1823-1932, 1985-1996
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SPEERIT, n. Also sperit (Ayr. 1889 H. Johnston Glenbuckie v.); spierit. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. spirit (Sc. 1825 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 76; Lnk. 1838 J. Morrison McIlwham Papers 19; Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 168; Edb. 1866 J. Smith Poems 11; Abd. 1879 G. MacDonald Sir Gibbie xxvii.; Ags. 1887 Brechin Advert. (25 Oct.); Knr. 1891 H. Haliburton Ochil Idylls 52; Kcb. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet vii; Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 161, Ork. 1904 Dennison Sketches 21; Slg. 1932 W. D. Cocker Poems 58). Ppl.adj. speeritit (Abd. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 44.) See P.L.D. §45. [′spirɪt]
Sc. forms of Eng. spirit.Fif. 1985 Tom Hubbard in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 30:
But oor faur-northren fikyness
Gecks at the thocht o sic a mess:
Oor betters wadnae think it meet
Tae tak oor native speirit neat!m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 34:
Ye see what jist a wee drap drink kin dae
tae skaith the strang yauld spierit o the yung?m.Sc. 1991 Robert Calder in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 141:
Burdies, beasties, yer langsyne friend is deid,
foe tae ilk dunderheid, fire and speerit baith.
Weel, the cause o life's forbye the cause o daith!Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 19:
Cam ye fae some idder warl,
Mysterious, oonchancy cat,
A speerit-craiter athoot faat,
To me, a feel, roch human carl?Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web iii:
Dugs merk their territory wi dug-pish. I merk mine wi certain symbols o places thirsels, bi drawin or screivin, like the auld cave fowk that catched the speerit o the deer afore a hunt bi daubin the waas wi picturs.
Sc. usages:
1. Sc. combs. and deriv. (1) speerit-bund, under the influence of some supernatural power, bewitched, spell-bound; (2) speerity, spirited, vivacious, full of energy; of animals: mettlesome. Gen.Sc. Also in Eng. dial. Hence speerity-like, speerity-looking, having a spirited, lively appearance.(1) Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 40:
Sheu was speerit-b'und, or gotten what some ca' the g'aist cramp.(2) Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize xxxviii.:
He was of a spirity disposition, and both eydent and eager in whatsoever he undertook.Sc. 1867 N. MacLeod Starling xxviii.:
She's no strong, but extraordinar speerity.m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 205:
Says she, gettin mair speerity-like.Per. 1896 I. Maclaren Kate Carnegie 36:
She's a weel-faured lassie, an' speerity-lookin'.Gall. a.1897 Rob Ringan's Plewman Cracks 8:
My mither was a speerity body, that gar't a'thing gang cheery at hame.Kcb. 1913 G. M. Gordon Auld Clay Biggin' 15:
Davy, tho' speerity eneuch was gettin' auld an' frail.Abd. 1930 Abd. Univ. Mag. (March) 103:
A've kent young speerity chiels never ca'ower the birstin' at they got that wy.m.Sc. 1932 O. Douglas Priorsford i.:
He's a steerin' callant. . . . Speerity too.
2. An inquisitive person (Dmf. 1971), with a pun on spier it (see Spier).
[Cf. Spreit.]