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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DREID, Dreed, v., n., adj. Pa.t. dred(d) (Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xv., Ayr. 1861 Ayr. Minister Songs of Covenant Times 167; s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 204). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. dread. Also †dried. [drid]

I. v.

1. To suspect, to fear; either with direct obj. or obj. clause. Gen.Sc. Also in n.Eng. dial.Bnff. 1882 W. M. Philip K. MacIntosh's Scholars vii.:
I dreid ye've ower muckle faith in Janet's ability to tak' care o' hersel'.Abd. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads I. 157:
Sae aft as ye hae dreaded me, But never found me wrang, my dear.Bch. 1929 (per Abd.¹):
A dreedit it wis the pussy-cat had the wyte o' the fish disappearin'.Lnk.¹¹ 1940:
I had dreidit afore that he was lossin' his pey at the dugs.Ayr. 1790 Burns The Tailor fell . . . ii.:
The sleepy bit lassie, she dreaded nae ill.

Hence (1) dreader, one who suspects others of evil intent. Now only in Proverbial Saying below; (2) ill-dreaded, expecting evil.(1) Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. liii.:
It is the ill-doers are ill-dreaders.Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
Ill doers are ay ill dreaders.(2) Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 123:
That nae guid will be his end, Gin he no' tak' thocht an' mend — Puir, ill-dreaded Yiddum.

2. Impers.: to cause to fear. Arch.Per. c.1800 Young Hunting in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 68C. xvii.:
It bodes me sair, and drieds me mair, Clyde's Water's him forlorn.

3. tr. To frighten. Obs. in Eng. a.1700.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems (1876) 88:
Tho' beagles, hornings, an' sic graith, Glowre roun', they ne'er sal dread me.

II. n.

1. With ill: grave suspicion or apprehension (Cai.⁷, Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Ags.², Fif.¹⁰ 1940). Pl. in phr. in ill dreads, under suspicion.Sc. 1820 A. Sutherland St Kathleen IV. 144:
Do ye mind what I told ye aboot the wraith? . . . I kent richt weel it boded nae gude, an' had an ill dreid that Kenny widna wait to meet his end in a contented manner.Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
“I hae an ill dread o' you.” I have great suspicion of you.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS.:
I thocht he wad be in ill dreads fan I saw the men gedderin roon.

2. Derivs.: (1) dreidfu', dreadful, fearful; (2) dreidsome, idem.(1) Sc. 1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona xv.:
Syne, upon a suddenty, and wi' the ae dreidfu' skelloch. . . .Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 63:
Fan A gaed doon tae milk humlie, A got a dreedfu' fricht.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick xix.:
Aboot twa o'clock in the mornin . . . An'ra Wabster's wife . . . cam reelin on the door in a dreidfu' state o' mind.(2) Kcb. a.1902 J. Heughan in Gallov. (1913) XV. 108:
To ill stamp oot, and dreid some waes aff-sklent.

3. In phr. to dree one's dreed, to accept the possible dire consequences of some action; cf. similar phr. s.v. Dread(d)our.Ags. 1891 (2nd ed.) J. M. Barrie Little Minister xxxv.:
All he said was, “I must dree my dreed.”

III. adj. Dreadful, frightening.Ags. 1901 W. J. Milne Reminisc. App. 289:
Fan the dreid howm wis reached, he met sic a blast O' blue brumstane reek, did his stoot hert appal.Hdg. 1885 J. Lumsden Rhymes and Sk. 92:
Ochone! gif my dreid fears come true.