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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BITTOCK, Bittick, Bittik, Bittag, n. A small bit or portion (of space, time, quantity); also used fig. Gen.Sc. [′bɪtɪk, ′bɪtək Sc.; ′bɪtəg Cai. + ′bɪ̢təg]Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality x.:
It's unco late, and it's sax miles an' a bittock doun the water.Ork. 1908 J. T. S. Leask in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. I. vi. 222:
He buist a' bigged 'er weel cis sheu man hae steud noo I wad tink a guid bittick ower a hunder year.Cai. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.:
Bittag. A very small bit; a “bittock.”Ags. 1820 R. Mudie Glenfergus II. xvii.:
“That was a bonnie sang you were singin' . . . Ha'e you ony mair o't?” “A wee bittock,” said Tibbie.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 134:
Tho' she hadna feck o' fortune — Jist a bittock 'bune the scant — Baith her pooch an' hairt were open.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 160:
Three miles and a bittok.Lnk. 1838 McIlwham Papers Letter ii. 19:
An' how, quo I, can ye ken a ye alledge again my frien frae that we [sic] bittock o' a paragraph?

Hence bittikie, bittickie, dim. of above.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 380:
A gey bittikie on the vrang road.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 7:
Life hid niver bin the same fur Davie Donald sin Graham Reid hid meeved tae the clachan o Blackbrae. The Reids war still a thochtie o a questionmerk in the place, bein toun fowk fa'd bocht a hoose a bittockie ooto the clachan. They keepit thirsels tae thirsels, wi the exception o their laddie Graham. Like rinny jeelie he seemed tae spreid himsel aawye.