Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SUIT, n.2 Also sute (Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xi.), suet-; söt (Sh. 1899 Shetland News (8 April)), soet (Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 10), süt (Sh. 1951 Sh. Folk Book II. 64), seut (Ork. 1893 Sc. Antiquary VIII. 55); seit (Ags. 1964 D. Phillips Hud yer Tongue 36); seet (Abd. 1845 T. Denham Poems 177), sit(t) (Abd. 1913 W. Fraser Jeremiah Jobb 21, 1930 E. S. Rae Waff o' Win 53); shute (Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 68; Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 65, wm.Sc. 1903 S. Macplowter Mrs McCraw 120), shuit (Ags. 1947 Forfar Dispatch (10 April)), shöt-; sheet (Cai. 1891 D. Stephen Gleanings 61). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. soot (Gsw. 1807 J. Chirrey Misc. Poetry 60). Ppl.adj. suitteet, soot-begrimed (Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 18). [l. and m.Sc. søt, syt, srt, also ʃ-; ne.Sc. sit, sɪt; Cai. ‡ʃit. See P.L.D. §§ 37, 128.]
I. n. As in Eng. Sc. Combs. and phrs.: (1) suit-drap, a flake of soot, esp. one hanging or falling from the ceiling, freq. one on which moisture has condensed from rain, snow. a leaking roof, etc. (Sh., n.Sc., Fif. 1971). Ppl.adj. soot-dropped, grimy. Also fig. in pl. as an expression of warning to a speaker to be careful what he is saying as he may be overheard. See Drap, n., 5. (2), v., 4. (7); ¶(2) suit-stour, fine particles of soot, sooty dust; (3) suit-water, sooty water, water that has passed through or over soot.(1) Sc. 1722 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 18:
Soot-Draps hang frae his Roof and Kiples.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 42:
My soot-dropped am'rie now wears a dark gloom.Cai. 1907 J. Horne County of Cai. 124:
“Sheet-drap” — soot falling from the roof, induced by the thick cloud of smoke always nestling under it.Abd. 1960 Stat. Acc.3 223:
“There's seet draps” (keeping conversation from the children).(2) Cai. 1871 M. McLennan Peasant Life 219:
I maist think I ate soot-stour for porridge.(3) Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 247:
Auld an' young maun noo hae it [tea], laek shute-watter, mornin', e'enin', an' midtime-a-day.Sh. 1901 Shetland News (5 Jan.):
As black as sin, wi' söt-watter.
Hence suit(t)ie, etc. (1) adj., sooty (Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 41, sittie; Per. 1811 J. Sim Poems 20, seety; Dmf. 1873 A. C. Gibson Folk Speech Cmb. 114, suety; Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 156, seuty; Sh. 1953 New Shetlander No. 35. 5, söttie, 1964 Nordern Lichts 11, shötty). Combs. (i) sittie-drap, a soot-flake (see above); (ii) sootyman, sootiman, suttyman, sutieman, a chimney-sweep (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinstone Propriety II. 198); (iii) sootipillie, the great reed-mace or bulrush, Typha latifolia. See Pill, n.2; ¶(iv) sooty ronamus, a dirty-looking woman (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); (v) sitty-rumple, = (2)(i). See Rumple; (vi) sooty-scone, a kind of scone, with soot as one ingredient, baked on Shrove Tuesday (see quot.); (2) used subst. (i) a nickname for the devil (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.), commonly as Auld Suitie (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; Bnff., Abd., Slg., Dmb., Lnk., Rxb. 1971). Also in Eng. dial.; (ii) a male blackbird (Arg. 1936 L. McInnes S. Kintyre 10); (iii) as black as Eppie Suittie, exceedingly black, with a pun on the surname Suttie (Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 9).(1) (i) Abd. 1968 Buchan Observer (16 April) 7:
The sittie-draps Dae their dance o' death upo' the warm bink.(ii) Edb. 1756 Caled. Mercury (3 April):
The Fire-masters, Townguard Officers, and Sooty-men, repaired to the House, whereby the Flames were soon got extinguished.Edb. 1782 Caled. Mercury (5 Jan.):
The Tron or Sooty Men of Edinburgh, to give information to the Procurator Fiscal, or Clerk of Court, of all such dangerous and ruinous chimney-stalks.Ayr. 1810 A. Boswell Poet. Wks. (1871) 49:
The sable Sootiman would dust his sacks.Mry. 1830 T. D. Lauder Moray Floods 288:
Wi' her face as black as a suttyman's.(iii) Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 430:
Sootipillies — A moss plant, which grows on a thick stalk, like a willow wand — the head is about half a foot long, and of a sootie colour.(v) Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
If ye dinna behave yersel' auld sitty-rumple 'll get ye.(vi) ne.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
On Fastern's-een . . . when a sufficient quantity of skair-scones is prepared . . . as much of the substance is left, — into which a quantity of soot is stirred, and a marriage ring is put, — as will make a large and thick scone, which is called the sooty-scone. . . . When it is baked, it is divided into as many portions as there are unmarried guests, each of whom . . . draws a part. The person who is so fortunate as to draw the piece containing the ring, is assured of being the first married of the company; and to know who their intended partner will be, the piece of cake is dreamt on. . . . This power of looking into fnturity, however, is not confined to the person who obtained the ring, but, by the mystical virtues of the sooty-scon, is alike equal to all who partook of it; the ring only conferring the privilege of being the first married of the company.(2) (i) Bnff. 1932:
Wi your brookie face, ye're as black's Aul Sittie himsel!
