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.
WHITELY, adj. Also whitly, whit(t)lie. Pale, whitish, “having a delicate or fading look” (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Obs. in Eng. since 17th c. Also transf.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 78:
Whitely things are ay tender.Sc. 1769 Session Papers, Nicolson v. Nicolson (6 April 1770) 22:
Mich. is whitly a little with teething.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce I. xiv.:
The wee whittlie maiden baby was buried lang syne beneath Luckie Metcalf's hearth-stane.Lnk. 1872 R. Tennant Wayside Musings 44:
Nae wonder sae mony are whitely and thin — Confined in the city — great workshops within.Dmf. 1874 R. Reid Moorland Rhymes 16:
The whitely mune was up.Per. 1901 J. R. Aitken Enochdhu 48:
The glint o' their snawy goons on his whitely face.
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"Whitely adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 23 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/whitely>