Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
STILL, adv., int. Also stull (Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 133; Arg. 1917 A. W. Blue Quay Head Tryst 15; Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick i.).
Sc. form of Eng. still.Slg. 1990 Janet Paisley in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 120:
'Cum oan ma hen, cum oan my hen,' she's gurglin it me, pu'in ma heid oan hur shouder, stull haudin me. Jist is weel. Ah kin stull hear hur fae this moarnin.
Sc. usages:I. adv. As in Eng. Phr. still an(d) on, still and all. (1) yet, nevertheless, notwithstanding, all the same, for all that. Gen.Sc. Found in Eng. in 16th c. as still and anon, constantly, from time to time.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 80:
For e'en her heart wi' fear was like to brak, But still an' on, she wad hae forret been.wm.Sc. 1799 W. Mitchell Scotticisms 73:
Still and on is a phrase very common among the middle class of people in the west of Scotland. “He spoke at great length upon the subject, yet still and on his arguments did not reach conviction.”Gsw. 1884 H. Johnston Martha Spreull iv.:
Still-an-on, I canna forget the student lads.Fif. 1896 G. Setoun R. Urquhart iii.:
“Still, anon, he kent Greek an' Latin,” Balbingray insisted.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 1:
Still an on, thir billies hed a sair hatter or they got the bruits weerd bye the cairts.Bnff. 1935 Abd. Press and Jnl. (1 Oct.):
Though fashious fowk micht think the singing queer It's still an' on sincere.Arg. 1949 Mitchison & Macintosh Men & Herring 73:
Still and on, two hundred baskets at fishmeal prices is worth more than fifty baskets at control.Lnk. 1951 G. Rae Howe o' Braefoot 6:
But, still-an'-on, I wish Jean Duncanson nae ill in the Kingdom of Heaven.Gsw. 1985 James Kelman A Chancer 128:
Billy was looking roundabout and he said: Still and all but Donnie, nice to see a couple of birds once in a while. You must admit. Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 19:
... Bit stull an on I'll see,
In my min's benmost neuk, I'll sweir,
Like bleezin cwyles o caal green fire
Yer twaa een glowerin straacht at me.
(2) always, continuously, without intermission (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.). Now rare or obs. in Eng.Edb. 1796 H. MacNeill Waes o' War 18:
Still and on, baith ear and late, Will in briny grief lay steeping.Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 8:
Doo still an' on wirks wi' yon trash.
II. int. A call to halt, stop! stand still!, in games, as a call to a horse (n.Sc. 1856 N. & Q. (2nd Ser.) I. 395; Abd., Ags. 1971). Phr. still an' yow, a game in which a ball is thrown against a wall to be caught on the rebound by the player whose name is called by the thrower, all the others scattering. If he fails, he must retrieve it and shout “Still!” whereupon all the players stand stock still and the catcher must throw and strike one with the ball, calling yow (you), who then becomes the thrower (Rxb. 1971).Rxb. 1952 W. Landles Gooseberry Fair 63:
I've seen oo play for oors at “Still an' yow,” Stottin't on Drummond's gable waa.
