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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

FREIT, n. Also frait, frate, fraet, fret(t); freat, freet, friet, frit(e) and irreg. forms fröt, früt(t) (Sh.). [ne.Sc., ‡Per., Fif., †Lth., Arg., s.Sc. fre(:)t, Cai. fre¹t, Fif., Lth., Lnk. fri:t, ‡Sh. frøt]

1. A superstition, a superstitious belief, observance or act (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 210, freet; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., freet, frütt; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 200; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., frait; Uls. 1924 Northern Whig (14 Jan.), freet; n.Sc., Fif., Peb., Arg., Lnk., Rxb. 1953).Sc. 1701 R. Wodrow Early Letters (S.H.S.) 160:
The customes and frites observed on set dayes throughout all the year.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) I. 195:
An ancient freit, a Highland charm, Look on that hair her heart will warm.Slk. 1817 Hogg Shepherd's Wedding (1874) 154:
“Hout! haud your tongue, Nelly,” said the best man, “the thing's but a freat a' thegither.”Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 73:
She's as fu' o' freets as an egg's fu' o' meat.Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 160:
While the south-west of Scotland is the abode of many superstitions, common to the whole “land o' cakes,” it also abounds in a variety of “freets,” that may be regarded as more peculiarly its own.Fif. 1895 “S. Tytler” Kincaid's Widow xiii.:
Gin ye spared her life aince there's the less ca' to risk yours for an idle freit about her!Sh. 1897 Shetland News (10 July):
Da why I canna tell dee. Hit was laekly juist a auld früt.Arg. 1901 N. Munro Doom Castle xii.:
That's a new freit. To keep away the witches.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 26:
Faith, bit ye're praachin' noo. Fat care I for yer aul' freets?

Hence †(1) freitfu, full of superstitions; (2) freitie, freety, fre(i)tty, fröty, addicted to superstition (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Fif. 1953); having a belief in charms or omens (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.).(1) Clc. 1860 J. Crawford Doric Lays 8:
Nor was it freitfu' bairnhood's lear, Sae fu' o' wilderin' story.(2) Sc. 1730 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) IV. 159:
The people, inhabitants of the Island, as all the Highlanders generally are, wer reaconed credulous and fretty.m.Lth. 1788 J. Macaulay Poems 122:
Syne [I] saw a blade fast sticking to my hose, An', being freety, stack it up my nose.Uls. 1804 J. Orr Poems (1935) 72:
An yet they're friety — sots wha'd gie Their breasts the swallow's shield to be Deem't nae offence to harrie thee [robin].Cld. 1818 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 154:
The superstitious and freitty observances of his native land.Sh. 1896 J. Burgess Lowra Biglan 21:
Braand never fell on truer tale, aald fröty sayin' t'o it be.

‡2. A superstitious saying, an adage, an old saw (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bnff.¹⁶ 1953).Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxxv.:
If auld freets say true, there's ane o' that company that'll no be lang for this warld.Sc. 1885 E. J. Guthrie Old Sc. Customs 163:
The first three days of April are called “borrowing days,” and the freets regarding them run so.Abd. 1887 W. Carnie Waifs of Rhyme 27:
My auld Grannie had a fret, O weel I mind it yet, For aften roun' my memory and in my lug it croons.Edb. 1897 P. H. Hunter J. Armiger's Revenge 67:
Ye ken the auld freet — “Mony a frost, mony a thow, maks mony a rotten yowe.”Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 47:
He never doddered through the streets An auld man mumblin' useless freits.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 13:
For, unbekent, his thochts wad waun'er To granny's freits an' waesome raun'er.

3. An omen, presage, foreboding, any incident invested with superstitious significance (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 118, fret; Per. 1915, Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson; Rs., Ags. 1953).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 128:
He that follows Freets, Freets will follow him.Sc. 1740 S.C. Misc. (1842) 4:
If I was as much an observer of freits as I used to be, I would not have taken journey.Ayr. 1792 J. Little Poet. Wks. 168:
In hopes to ken their fortune By freets that night.Sc. 1815 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) IV. 54:
I said “that's a bad omen Mungo [Park]” to which he answered laughing “freits follow those that look to them.” With this proverbial expression we parted never again to meet.Lnk. 1818 A. Fordyce Country Wedding 22:
Aff wi' your glove, for the crook maun flit A link or twa, and syne friets may drap.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish iii.:
Mizy had a wonderful faith in freats, and was just an oracle of sagacity at expounding dreams.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood x.:
I saw three pyots flee intil the Wud this morning, and but ane cam back. That's an unco freit for the beginnin' o't.

†4. An odd fancy, a whimsical notion, fad, liking. Phr. †to stand on fraits, to make a fuss about trifles, to be faddy or crotchetty (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Works (S.T.S.) 155:
Fouk need no on fraits to be standing, That's marry'd and woo'd an' a'.Sc. 1837 Wilson's Tales of the Borders III. 239:
The vain, frawart freits o' a silly, giddy, youthfu passion.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Standard Bearer i.:
Ashie being by nature gay and frisky, ever full of kittenish freits.Ags. 1898 A. H. Rea Divot Dyke 71:
Lately I hae taen a fret For bubbly-jocks.Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 147:
His fraets and follies, ycleped “weaknesses,” Were but the itches o' a mind the gods Envied.