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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.

TAIBET, n. Also tabet, -it, taebet-, taebit, tebbit, tibbit, tibet, -it; taipit, tapet-, teppit. Freq. in pl.: physical sensation, feeling; energy, strength (Fif., Lth. 1825 Jam.). [′tebɪt, -pɪt]n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
My fingers lost the tebbits.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 164:
His left the glitterin' glass did grip, Whairfrae his bumbaz'd knicht mith sip Tebbit and animation.Fif. 1883 W. D. Latto Bodkin Papers 83:
In this cauld climate o' oors we require something fat to haud the taebit in oor bodies.Ags. 1896 Barrie Sentimental Tommy xxii.:
Lurking in the burn till there were no tibbits in his toes.

Hence tabetless, tapet-, tebbit-, teppit-, 1. without feeling, destitute of sensation, numb, benumbed (n.Sc. 1808, Fif., Lth. 1825 Jam.; Abd., Ags., Fif., w.Lth. 1972); with regard to the mind: dull, lethargic, unresponsive, spiritless (Abd., w.Lth., Bwk. 1972); 2. heedless, foolish, silly (wm.Sc. 1808 Jam.).1. Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 26:
The heat sae master'd a' her pith, That she grew tabetless.Lth. 1825 Jam.:
The laddie's gane teppitless.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 126:
Winter winds burst owre us in their ire An' made our fingers tebbitless.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 44:
Marget's fingers were sae tibitless wi' the cauld.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 181:
The scholars would appear in their “Sunday claes” at the opening of the school, and only a few “tibitless craters” were not in a state of excitement.Sc. 1925 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 277:
I'm weel nigh tabitless wi' scunner.2. Ayr. 1786 Burns 2nd Ep. to J. Lapraik iii.:
The tapetless ramfeezl'd hizzie, She's saft at best, and something lazy.Ags. 1874 W. Allan Lilts 279:
The coof wha believes angel's visits are few Is nocht but a tapetless loon.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xiii.:
So is a man wha is tabetless an' shilly-shally tempit hereawa thereawa.Lnk. 1920 G. A. H. Douglas Further Adventures Rab Hewison 76:
I think ye were a tapetless man