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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1790-1852, 1925-1947

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YOWDENDRIFT, n. Also youden-, ewden-, and reduced forms yown-, ¶en-. Snowdrift, “snow or hail blown directly and forcibly from the heavens” (Abd., Kcd. 1825 Jam., s.v. Erd-drift; Bnff. 1944). See also Erd. Obs. exc. liter.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 285:
To my Meg I bend my tour, Thro' Ewden drift, or snawy-show'r.Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1873) 34:
The first thing meets him, is a dose Of styth endrift and hail.Ags. a.1823 G. Beattie Poems (1882) 199:
As choakin' thick as yowden drift.Crm. 1834 H. Miller Scenes and Leg. 291:
I'll be lost, I'm feared, in the yowndrift.Mry. 1852 A. Christie Mountain Strain 16:
At every shift, Like youden drift, The deals in dizens flew.Sc. 1925 H. McDiarmid Sangschaw 23:
An' my eerie memories fa' Like a yowdendrift.Bnff. 1927 E. S. Rae Hansel Fae Hame 18:
Antrin shooers o' yowden drift.Sc. 1947 D. Young Braird o' Thristles 12:
Skinklan pouther frae a licht yowden-drift o' snaw.

[O.Sc. ewindrift, id., 1630. The first element is obscure, phs. ad. yowden, pa.p. of Yield, but the sense development is unexplained. Endrift may be a mistake for erd-drift. See also Stife, v., Stith, I. 3.]

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