Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

CAVE, Kave, n.¹ [ke:v]

1. “A case for holding spirit-bottles” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., cave); “a box divided into compartments — commonly four or six — for holding spirit-bottles” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., kave).Inv. 1720 Letter-Bk. Bailie J. Steuart (ed. W. Mackay 1915) 122:
Buy liekways two small caves with best double Strong Dantzig waters, each cave to contean about 4 Dantzig Stoaps or 4 Scots pts.Ags. 1740 Private Inventory (per Fif.¹):
In the Big Hall and in the Best Bedroom Closet — a Cave with glasses in it.

2. A square-shouldered bottle, gen. used for gin. Used attrib. with glass, bottle. Angus Gl. (1914) gives kave gless for Sh., “a square-shaped bottle kept in a kave.”Sh. 1732–1735 in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. (1911) IV. iii. 120:
Spirits: 1 bottle water (gin?), 10d.; a cave glass waters, containing 1¼ pint, 2s. 1d.Ork.(D) 1904 Dennison Orcad. Sk. 13–14:
Sheu hed a shuttle wi' a hidden skelf under hid, i' the ae end; an' i' the tither end t'ree rooms, 'at t'ree great muckle kave bottles steud in.

3. A rabbit hutch. Cf. Cavie, n.¹Lnk. a.1854 W. Watson Poems (1877) 194: 
His rabbit cave, which ca'd to action His prentice powers at its erection.