Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
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.

EE, 'E. An aphetic form of the def.art. the. See P.L.D. §§ 158 and 158.1. Also ey (Per. 1887 R. Cleland Inchbracken 59, 712). Used also as a contr. for i'the, in the, o' (= of, on) the (Per., Fif. Wilson; Abd.²⁷, Ags.¹⁸ 1949). See P.L.D. §§ 96.6 and 125. In this sense the form e'y is also found.Rnf. 1805 G. McIndoe Poems 57:
Tak' ye the goose a gouff 'e cheek.em.Sc. (a) 1873 Murray D.S.C.S. 26:
In the West of Forfar and Fife, South of Perth, in Kinross, Clackmannan, etc., the article is regularly abbreviated into ee “ee haid o ee toon, ee haid ee toon, pyt ee braid i' ee press.”Abd. 1878 in Ellis E.E.P. V. (1889) 777:
Fat's the matter wi ee creeter.Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken 9:
Here's a laddie come a' the gate frae Inverlyon, e'y tap o' the coach.Cai. 1909 D. Houston 'E Silkie Man 4:
If we dinna feenish 'ir 'iss week, we'll be 'e mooth 'e pairish.Ags. 1926 R. W. Dill Beauty Spots 131:
A “Private” conducted by Mr Deuchar, “Up ee Manor,” and which was familiarly known as “Pallywhack's Schulie.”