Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
WHIT, v. To milk (a cow) to the last drop, to draw off the dregs of milk (Slk. 1825 Jam.). Vbl.n. pl. whittins, the last amount of milk drawn off from a cow at one milking, “which is considered as the richest, and is usually milked by a thrifty housewife into a vessel by itself, and put among the cream reserved for making butter” (Peb. 1825 Jam.).
[Orig. uncertain. ? A variant of whet, from the motion involved.]
