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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CUIT, COOT, Cute, Ceut, Ceit, Kut(e), Keet, K(u)it, Cüt, Küt, n. and v. [køt I.Sc., Ags., Per.; kit nn.Sc.; kyt, kɪt m.Sc., s.Sc.; kɪt wm.Sc.]

I. n.

1. The ankle (Sc. 1808 Jam., coot; 1902 E.D.D., kuit; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., küt; Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 76, keet; Cai.³ 1931, ceit, keet). Extended to mean the foot; also the shin-bone (Fif.¹⁰ 1941); the fetlock (Ayr.⁴ 1928). Also dim. cuitie (Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 22). Gen. (exc. ne.) Sc.; for ne.Sc. forms, see Queet.Sc. 1724–27 Ramsay T. T. Misc. (1733) 29:
The sadle's nane o' my ain, An thae's but borrowed boots; And whan that I gae hame, I maun tak to my coots.Sc. 1872 J. Smail in Scotsman (25 April):
Wi' my kute i' the rib o' my naig, My swurd hingin' doon by my knee.Sc. 1895 H. Ochiltree Redburn v.:
Did ye notice how jimp she's aboot the waist? how trig aboot the kits?Sh.(D) 1891 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 2:
Dan I hears on da brig-staens da muvvin o cüts, An da fitsteps o somean wi neesterin büts.Ork. 1908 J. T. S. Leask in Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 324:
I waas gan tae see 'im bit du sees 'e bides ower far awa an' me leg's swaled fae me ceut tae me houch.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 38:
His coots were dozn'd an' the fettle tint, Yet o' them of the raips was seen the dint.Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) xi.:
The ba' strack him a yark on the kut.Peb. 1793 Carlop Green (ed. R. D. C. Brown 1832) ii. xxx.:
Up frae his larded greasy cuits To's fiery shinin' nose.Ayr. 1789 Burns Duchess of Gordon (Cent. ed.) i.:
She kiltit up her kirtle weel To show her bonie cutes sae sma'.Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 167:
They had awfu thick cuits too, stickin' oot at baith sides.

2. Phrs.: (1) to be oot o' 'e keets, — oot i' cuit, to have a sprained ankle (Ags.¹⁷ 1941, — oot i' cuit); (2) to cule one's cutes, = Eng. to cool one's heels (Fif.¹⁰ 1941).(1) Cai. 1916 J. Mowat Cai. Proverbs 6:
“Better oot o' 'e keets, than oot o' 'e kind” — said of one wearing high-heeled boots.(2) Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
I let him cule his cutes at the dore.

II. v. Found only in ppl.adj. cuited, having ankles.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 203:
Tou's cuited like the mother o' thee.