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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.

SWAIRD, n., v. Also swird, swear-. Sc. forms of Eng. sward (Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) II. 228, 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 22; Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 84; Kcb. 1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun 22; Slk. 1828 Hogg Poems (1874) 329; m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 161; Ags. 1870 Arbroath Guide (17 Dec.) 3; em.Sc. 1920 J. Black Airtin' Hame 48). See P.L.D. § 48.1.(2). [swerd]

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Combs. and phr.: (1) sward-cut, to cut or chop up the turf of old pasture. Hence swaird-cutter, a machine which does this; (2) swear-dyke [ < swaird-dyke], a wall of turf (Mry., Bnff. 1972); (3) to put a good swaird upon, fig., to give a finished appearance to (a piece of writing), to polish.(1) Per. 1785 D. Young Nat. Improvements on Agric. 400:
Captain Sandilands has likewise invented a very useful machine called a swaird-cutter, either for cutting of grass-ground before plowed, or before putting lime, marle or dung, upon the surface.Sc. 1797 Encycl. Britannica I. 276:
The land may lie several months in winter after being sward-cut. . . . One sward-cutter will cut as much in one day as six ploughs will plough.(2) Mry. 1964 Northern Scot (25 April) 6:
'Mong the throng sit an spike on the handy swear dyke.(3) Sc. 1769 Boswell In Search of a Wife (Pottle 1957) 273:
You have smoothed it finely, Sir. You have put a good swaird upon it.

2. A layer of bent-grass placed across the bottom of a basket of fishing-lines to make a bed for the baited-hooks which were then laid evenly on top (Bnff. 1936, swird).

II. v. 1. To remove the sward or layer of grass in order to make it into compost (see Loggage, n.¹). Vbl.n. swarding. Cf. Pare, v., 2. (1).Sc. 1729 W. Macintosh Essay on Inclosing 56, 64:
As many, yea more Acres about that Estate, as good soil in its Nature, yea many better, have been swarded, dug up, and carried on to cover a worse Soil. . . . The unfrugal destructive Swarding of Land you formerly used.

¶2. To graze on sward or lush grass. Comb. swardin fou, replete with grass.Bnff. 1924:
That kye's jeest swardin fou.