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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BEWAST, BEWEST, prep. To the west of (Sh. 2000s).  [bɪ′wɑst, bɪ′wɛst]Sc. 1887 R. L. Stevenson Underwoods 93:
A wee bewast the table-stane.
Cai. 1950 Neil M. Gunn The White Hour (1990) 233:
"Parish after parish have been forced in to build your earthworks and your pallisades, to make you safe. But what of us bewest your bridge, outside your ports?..."
Ags. 1727 Charters, Writs, etc., of Royal Burgh of Dundee (W. Hay 1880) 183:
[They] Reported that they had . . . found one of the towns march stones bewest the yeard belonging to the miln out of its place.
Lnk. 1711 Minutes J.P.'s Lnk. (S.H.S. 1931) 108:
That part of Stirling shyre bewest Boniebridge and Caron Water.
Ayr. 1816 Sir A. Boswell Poet. Works (1871) 167:
His anxious ee, but firm and fierce, Wander'd bewast the Loch o' Kerse.

[Be, pref., 4 + wast or west. For Wast see P.L.D. § 76.1; O.E. westan, from the west. Bewest, beweast and bewast are all found in O.Sc., the first quot. for bewast in D.O.S.T. being 1540.]

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