Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FORESTAIR, n. Also †forstair (Mry. 1730 Elgin Kirk-Session Rec. (ed. Cramond 1897) 327). An open outside stair leading to the first floor of a building. Gen.Sc., now mostly in describing old buildings.Sc. 1703 Chrons. Atholl and Tullibardine Families I. 505:
The horses run themselves against a fore staire near Cammel's land and stopped.Edb. 1734 Caled. Mercury (11 July):
Comprehending an Hall, two Chambers, a Laigh House, a Fore-stair, Cellar, two Shops or Booths.Bnff. 1775 in W. Cramond Ann. Banff (S.C.) I. 323:
James Alexander has erected a forestair adjoining the South front of his new house.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xiv.:
Sae mony royal boroughs yoked on end to end, . . . with their hie-streets, . . . and houses of stane and lime and forestairs.Sc. 1825 R. Chambers Trad. Edb. II. 181:
A fore stair, . . . now almost extinct, consisting of a flight of steps, ascending from the pavement to the second flat of the mansion and protruding a considerable way into the street.Fif. 1894 J. Geddie Fringes of Fife x.:
The red-tiled, steep-ridged houses crowding together and turning their crow-stepped gables and forestairs to the street and their backs to the blast.Edb. 1931 E. Albert Herrin' Jennie 134:
The mediaeval forestair . . . decorated the outside wall much in the manner that a companion-ladder graces the side of a ship.Sc. 1951 Hist. Mon. Comm., City of Edb. 77:
The forestair leads from the Lawnmarket to a landing beneath the corbelling previously mentioned, whence a low doorway on the right admits to the first floor.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Forestair n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 24 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/forestair>