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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AUCHT, AUGHT, num.adj.¹, cardinal, and n. Sc. forms of eight. (See also Echt num.adj.¹) [ɑxt I.Sc., n.Sc., e. and wm.Sc.]

1. adj.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xxvii.:
Seven — aught — aught tines on the antlers.Sh.(D) 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 56:
Aucht year sinsyne.m.Sc. a.1846 A. Rodger Poems (1897) 179:
Trysting sax gallons, or aucht, for himsel'.Ayr. 1792 Burns Gallant Weaver i.:
O, I had wooers aught or nine.

2. n., in various senses: eight o'clock; the figure 8, etc.Abd. 1922 Abd. Wkly. Press (7 Jan.) 1/1:
The Highland Reel, in which, as the lad said, “Ye cut the figger aucht, trock quines, an' furl.”Lnl. 1910 J. White Eppie Gray 8:
As sune as aucht chaps in the clock The bairns gae aff tae rest.

3. Combs.: (1) With other numerals: aucht an' thretty, etc.;aucht an' forty, forty eight, in quot. in allusion to the 48 davachs into which Strathbogie in Abd. was divided. See Davach (1726 quot.).Abd. 1801 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (18 Feb.) 54:
In consequence of the Marquis of Huntly having signified his intention of breaking up some fields to be put under crop, the tenants of the aught an' fourty voluntarily tendered their services.Hdg. 1885 “S. Mucklebackit” Rural Rhymes 216:
For the last aucht an' thretty years an' mair.

(2) Aucht byre, a byre for eight cattle.em.Sc. (a) 1895 “I. Maclaren” Days of Auld Lang Syne 100:
It's an aucht byre.

(3) Aucht-day, adj. and n., (a) (an) eight-day (clock); (b) a common daily occurrence (Sc. 1911 S.D.D., ne.Sc., Ags. 1975). See also Echt, num. adj.¹, ² Sc. [1828] Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 95:
The short and lang haun o' our aught-day clock.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 179:
Aye takin anither look at the auld aucht-day in the corner.Abd. 1970:
I wadna gie tippence for a common aucht-day thing like that.

(4) Aucht days, a week; often used as a sing. noun, an aucht days.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 173:
This aught days twice o'er tell'd I'll whistle nane.Bnff.² 1932:
I'll be wi' ye Sunday come aucht days.Id.:
She lost her laddie on — lat me see — Monday wiz aucht days.Abd.(D) 1882 W. Alexander Life Among my Ain Folk 54:
I'll be back again gin an aucht days.

(5) Aughtnights, a week (cf. fortnight).Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick I. xv. 216:
Our bit curragh's no that rackle sin it got a stane on Monanday was aughtnights.