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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FITE, adj., n. Also fyte. n.Sc. forms of white. See P.L.D. § 134. Combs.: 1. fite-breid, -breed, white or loaf bread, wheaten bread, as opposed to oat or barley cakes (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 47; ne.Sc. 1951); †2. fite-hair, “the large tendon of the neck of cattle or sheep” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor Ib.). Cf. fair-hair, s.v. Fair, adj., III. 18.; 3. fite-iron, tin-plate (Ib.; ne.Sc. 1951): see White, adj. In combs. (1) fite-iron gentry, social upstarts; those who make a pretence of gentility (Abd.⁹ 1942); (2) fite-iron wife, a female tinker (ne.Sc. 1951); ‡4. fite-moo'ed, mealy-mouthed, plausible; 5. fite-puddin, a pudding or sausage stuffed with oatmeal, suet, onions and pepper (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 47, ne.Sc. 1951); 6. fite shower, a snow-shower (Abd. 1825 Jam., s.v. White, ne.Sc. 1975); 7. fite-siller, silver money, as opposed to coppers (Bnff. 1866 Gregor Ib.), hence money in considerable amount (Abd.²⁷ 1951).1. Abd. 1867 Mrs Allardyce Goodwife xi.:
'T's a sair maiter that we're oot O' biskit an' fite breed.Bnff. 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 5:
The fite breed — weel, it's dirty fite.3. (1) Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. xvi.:
Na, na; she jeist mortally hatit fite-iron gentry.(2) Abd. 1928 Word-Lore III. vi. 148:
Meggie crawlt back faur she wis, vringin' the tail o' 'er wincey kwite, an' scaulin' like a fite-iron wife!4. Abd.¹⁵ 1928:
He's a sleekit, fite-moo'ed vratch.7. ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 13:
'Twis said she micht 'a got a croon O' gweed fyte siller for it.Abd. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (30 Jan.):
A sleekit coo brocht in the fite siller.