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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.

‡GAIT, n.², v. Also gyte; gayt (Rnf. 1773 J. Warner Letter 18), geyt, geit, gytt, gett and obs. forms gate, gaite; gwoit (ne.Sc.), geat(e) (Per. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Per. 157–8), gat (Sc. 1897 Sc. N. & Q. (Series 1) XI. 77), gaut(e). Also in n.Eng. dial. [Sc. get, but ne.Sc. gəit, gɑ:t]

I. n. A sheaf (or group of sheaves) of grain set up in the field to dry (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Abd.² 1948, gyte); also of hay (Abd. 1953). Also gaiter (Watson, rare).em.Sc. 1794 W. Marshall Agric. Cent. Highl. 40:
These crops are harvested, either in sheaves and stooks of twelve . . . or in “gaits,” namely single sheaves tied near the top, and set upon their buts, spread abroad for the purpose of giving them the requisite firmness.Bwk. 1809 R. Kerr Agric. Bwk. 240:
When reaped in catching weather, barley is generally set up in yetts, goats, gates, or single sheaves slightly bound near the ear-end, and set upon their butts spread out.Gall. 1810 S. Smith Agric. Gall. 129:
When the single sheaves (gaites) have remained in this position for a few days . . . they are formed into very small ricks.Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chron. (13 Sept.) 2:
I've heard my grannie say if there was not twenty-one days' shearin' they had to bind getts.n.Tyr. 1930 per Uls.³:
Gait was formerly common in parts of N. Tyrone, but now usually goat. It is used to describe four sheaves of oats, set on end, and the tops tied together. This is a goat as distinct from the stook of twelve sheaves.

II. v. To set up sheaves in such a manner (Sc. 1800 Farmer's Mag. I. 364, gate; n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 219; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 72, gyte; Rnf. 1880 W. Grossart Par. of Shotts 218; Abd.¹³ 1916, gaut; Abd.⁸ 1917, gwoit; Bnff.² 1930, geyt; ‡Abd. 1953). Vbl.n. gaiting, a setting up of sheaves in such a way (Mry. 1750–1888 Pluscarden MS. 149, geiting; ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 181, gyttin); a sheaf of corn thus set up (Rxb. 1825 Jam.).m.Lth. 1793 G. Robertson Agric. m.Lth. 63:
This last [barley after cutting] is sometimes left broad-band (untied) for two or three days, to accelerate the winning; sometimes gaited (tied slack, and set on end, sheaf by sheaf), for the same reason.Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIV. 56:
When they cut down their corns, they set them up in single sheaves, which is called gaiting.Cai. 1812 J. Henderson Agric. Cai. 105:
This gating has another advantage, that corn so set up, can be preserved during rain, for a long time, without vegetating.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm III. 1065:
Gaiting . . . is only practised in wet weather.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 340:
I hae seen the stooks ta'en doon, an' the sheaves lowsed oot tae dry, an' I min' o' ae weety haist we even had tae gaute them.Abd.⁵ 1928:
We were passing a hay field this summer when a man in my company said “Losh, man! it's lang since I've seen hey gytit.” “What do you mean by ‘gytit'?” I asked. “The shaives are set up in threes an' a raip is wuppit roon the taps tae haud them on faan.”