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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

FORE-END, n. Also foren(d).

1. The first or front part or portion of anything. Gen.Sc. Mostly dial. in Eng. †Of money, the first fruits or returns.Lnk. 1717 Minutes J.P.s (S.H.S.) 179:
James Carmichaell . . . shall be satisfied for his said service and for his depursments abovementioned out of the forend of the fines and ammerciaments that has occurred.Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 327:
I saw mony a braw man riding on their horses, but I mysel' gaed i' the fore-end, and was the brawest mountit o' them a'.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xiii.:
Out of the fore-end of her wealth she sent us a very handsome present.Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sk. and Poems 10:
He's aye hokkin among yon aald prophecies, an' things i' da fore-end o' da Scripter.

2. The beginning or earlier part of a period of time (Sc. 1825 Jam.; s.Sc. 1873 J. A. H. Murray D.S.C.S. 168). Specif. of the spring (Sc. 1900 E.D.D.; Uls.⁴ 1953). Adj. fore-ended, of a lamb: having been born in the spring of the year, a yearling. Now only dial. in Eng.Sc. 1782 F. Douglas E. Coast Scot. 122:
In the fore-end of the fishing season.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxvii.:
I will be back about the fore-end o' hairst.Slk. c.1823 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) ii.:
Ye were out in the very fore-end o' the unnatural Rebellion.Inv. 1830 Perthshire Adv. (8 April):
Poor, puny, small, fore-ended cheviots, which yield very little wool, and bring no price at market.Sc. 1835 Wilson's Tales of the Borders I. 149:
About the back end o' spring, or the fore end o' summer.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) viii.:
My lad . . . got foo i' the fore-end o' the nicht.

†3. A small shelf built into the side of a fireplace (Mry.¹ 1914). [fɔr′ɛn ]