Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GATE, n., v. Also gait, gaet, get(t), †geat; gjet (Sh.). [Sc. get, but Cai., sn.Sc., Arg. + gɛt, Sh. + gjɛt]

I. n. 1. (1) A way, road, path (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 248; ‡Abd., Fif.¹³, Hdg., wm.Sc.¹ rare, Arg.³ (gett), Ayr.⁸, Rxb.⁵ 1953), a street (now esp. in street and farm-names, e.g. Canongate, Trongate, Gallowgate, Overgate, Gateside); “a narrow road, a footpath” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., gjet), a narrow, fenced road (Sh.¹⁰ 1954). Also in fig. contexts. Also in Eng. (mainly n.) dial.Abd. 1714 Monymusk Papers (S.H.S.) 194:
The servants who carrie in meall and bear to Aberdeen . . . by the Gait of Kemney it not being the ordinar or common rod.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 384:
You shall have half of the Gate, and all the Mires. A jocose answer to them that say, What will you give me if I go with you?Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 74:
Thro' ilka gate the torches blaze.Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' (1794) xxxvi.:
The gait was ill, our feet war bare, The night is weety.Ayr. 1790 J. Fisher Poems 97:
The first time ye gang o'er the gate, Gie my kin' compliments to Pate.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter x.:
Gang doun the gate to Luckie Gregson's and . . . bide there till ele'en hours the morn.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
“The hare maun come to the hard gait,” matters must take their course, whatever be the consequence.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 304:
The gaet it lay far 'mang the bog, bent, an' heather.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 209:
Every gait haes a mire at the end o' it.Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 77:
In the township of Redland there was a grass gait which led from the infield pasture down to the cultivated land near to the Evie and Rendall road.Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 26:
I have often heard the old people in Thornhill say “doon the gate” for “down the street.”

Combs.: †(a) gate-leave, right of way, esp. for transport of fuel; found also in Eng. in 14th cent.; †(b) gate mail, a road tax, a levy imposed for the use of a private road; (c) gate-side, way-side, road-side; used attrib. in quot.(a) Sc. 1726 Invercauld Rec. (N.S.C.) 138:
With Liberty to cast and winn Peats in the Moss of Crathienaird, and Gate-leave used and wont, to and from the said Moss.Abd. 1778 Aberdeen Jnl. (19 Jan.):
The Liberty of casting of Feal and Divot upon the Lands of Cults and Gatelieve.(b) Clc. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XV. 198:
The great coal, when led to the shore of Alloa for exportation, pays a tax of fourpence Sterling per chalder to the family of Mar, called Gate Mail. It was originally demanded, for the liberty of exporting the coal from the Pow of Alloa, and because the road leading through the estate to the harbour was a private one, though used by the public.(c) Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 227:
“Whare hae ye been, an' whare mean ye to be?” “These are big speerings,” said John, “for a gate-side greeting.”

(2) Way, in sense of direction, route, relative position (Ags.¹⁸, Per.⁴, Fif.¹³, Edb.¹, wm.Sc.¹, Wgt.⁴, Rxb.⁴, Uls.⁴ 1954). Often in adv. constructions corresp. to Eng. -where (Sh., Ags., Fif., Dmf., Rxb. 1954), e.g. ilka gate, everywhere, nae gate, nowhere, ony gate, anywhere, some gate(s), somewhere, in some places. Cf. 3. (1). For a' gate, see A'gait.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherd (S.T.S.) 878–79:
Well maat ye gang, an' may ye ever hae Your friends before you ilka gate ye gae!Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian x.:
“Whare can ye hae been sae late?” “Nae gate,” answered Effie.Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 202:
He set them baith back the gate they cam, as their heads had been a-lowe.Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MS.:
He's fieldwart some gait.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 40:
There, man, this gate a bittie, Captain, an' I'll get hauds.Kcb. 1883 G. Murray Sarah Rae 62:
At first the lad was unco' blate And scarcely dared to look her gate.Fif. 1894 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin i.:
Some gaed ae gait, an' some anither.Kcb. 1911 G. M. Gordon Clay Biggin' 2:
She cud lead him by the neb ony gate she chose.Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chron. (5 April) 4:
You! Eh, Bessie, he would never think o' lookin' your gait.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains & Hilly 29:
Bit we maun hae mair [wind] here nor they hae some gates.Ags. 1932 A. Gray Arrows 49:
But noo he's hauden sooth frae here, And gane some ither gait.

(3) Way, in sense of length of way, distance (Ags.¹⁸, Fif.¹³, wm.Sc.¹, Rxb.⁵ 1954). Also used fig. and in adv. phr. o' gate, with the distance specified; cf. Agait. Specif. in lace-weaving: the distance between one carriage of the loom and another (Ayr. 1954). Also in n.Eng. dial.Abd. 1797 Aberdeen Mag. 352:
But I'm forgettin', sax lang mile o' gate I've yet to gang, I fear I'll now be late.Edb. 1801 H. Macneill Poet. Wks. I. 16:
“Hoot!” quo' Tam, “what's a' the hurry? Hame's now scarce a mile o' gate.”Sc. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Reg. Dalton I. 189:
“I have just left home for the first time in my life.” . . . “An' ye'll no be come ony great feck o' gait yet, I'm thinking?”Lnk. 1838 McIlwham Papers Letter ii. 16:
Ye hae a lang, lang gate tae gang before ye become sae hopelessly degenerat.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 30:
He has taen me a lang gate sins him an' me fell acquant.Rxb. 1914 Kelso Chron. (25 Dec.) 4:
Aye, mother, it's a lang gate from Haddon Rig here, although it's down hill.em.Sc. 1920 J. Black Airtin' Hame 61:
When he drives richt owre the bunker A lang gait frae the tee.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 118:
Yiss, Tammas, bit a' dat'll no carry Johnnie's remains fower mile o' gaet troo da hills.

2. (1) A going, walking; journey, trip (Fif.¹³, wm.Sc.¹ 1954).Sc. a.1685 F. Sempill Maggie Lauder in Ritson Songs (1869) II. 325:
Jog on your gate, you bladderskate; My name is Maggie Lauder.Abd. 1755 R. Forbes Jnl. from London 28:
Deil belickit did he the hale gate bat feugh at his pipe.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xvii.:
Lightsome sangs make merry gate.Sc. 1846 J. Grant Romance of War I. x.:
It was a far and a weary gait.Slk. 1885 Blackwood's Mag. (Nov.) 647:
Nane to help us, nane to hear us, On the weary gate we gang!em.Sc. 1913 J. Black Gloamin' Glints 36:
In aulden times folk werena' sweert Lang gaits on fit to gang. †(2) “Pasturage for cattle in a common during summer; one gait being rated to maintain a cow; two gaits a horse; and half a gait a calf” (w., s.Sc. 1887 Jam.). Common in Eng. (mainly n.) dial.

3. Way, in fig. senses: (1) Way, manner, method, fashion (Uls.² 1929; Sh., Abd., Ags., Ayr., Dmf. 1954). Often used in adv. constructions, corresp. to use of Eng. -how, rate, e.g. (at) ony gate, nae gate, some gate, (at) that gate, etc. (‡Abd., Ags., Slg., Knr., Edb., wm.Sc., Rxb. 1954). Cf. 1. (2). Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 24:
Every man wears his belt his ain gate.Dmf. c.1784 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1847) 221:
Onygate I'se no pretend to mair than I ken, like a' body noo-a-days.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. vii.:
But it disna become me to speak that gate to your honour, and you looking sae pale.Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 154:
Ochon, ochon! an' is that the gate o't? — a black beginning maks aye a black end.wm.Sc. 1868 Laird of Logan 78:
If ye kent a' that happened, ye wouldna come down pell-mell on a body at that gate.s.Sc. 1885 W. Scrope Salmon Fishing 156:
Ay, that was canny enough; but if you had not been advised by me, it could not have been done at ony gait.w.Lth. 1892 R. Steuart Leg. from Lothians 187:
I gather't a wheen o' the auld papers for burnin' an' that clear't the flure, onygait.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xiv.:
Can ye no let an auld man dee his lane! It's atween him and his Maker at ony gate.s.Sc. 1897 J. C. Snaith Fierceheart xi.:
Prince, he couldna dae wi'oot me, naegate.Abd. 1931 D. Campbell Uncle Andie 23:
Shiela's biggit the richt gait, an' A'm neen feart for her.Sc. 1939 Weekly Scotsman (25 March) 2:
Whaten a gate is that o' speaking about your father?m.Sc. 1986 Colin Mackay The Song of the Forest 34:
There was a song about a hero called Finn who had ridden to battle and died fighting. Fergus's mother had been wont to sing it over him when he was a bairn in the cradle. Any moment, thought Fergus, he could be going the same gait as Finn, and he hadn't done enough with his life yet for anyone to want to make a song about him. Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 27:
Tae be or no tae be,
wad that I kent the gait that's richt.
Whither it taks mair smeddum
tae thole ilk skud an scart
o a fashious fate,
or gang tae war agin a wecht o waes
an bear the gree. Sc. 1995 James S. Adam New Verses for an Auld Sang 13:
We're born and we're mairrit, syne happit in clay,
an maist o's 'll traivel that gait, culture crinan

Used adj. = kind of, manner of.Sc. 1740 Ramsay T.T.Misc. (1876) II. 177:
Young lovers are now At another gate price.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel v.:
But Solomon should sit in other gate company than Francis of France.

(2) Way of behaving, hence conduct, habit, trick, knack (ne.Sc., Ags. 1954). Often in pl. See also Ill-gate.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 20:
She had the Gate sae well to please.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 14:
Fair fa' thee my son Johny, thou's gotten the geat o't at last.Ayr. 1786 Burns Death Poor Mailie vii.:
An' may they never learn the gaets, Of ither vile, wanrestfu' Pets!Gall. 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 78:
To learn us a' for to retract, Frae our unwordy gaits sae black.Bwk. 1801 “Berwickshire Sandie” Poems 30:
I was sae pleas'd to hear the chiel relate Some funny tale, o' whilk he had sic gate.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck i.:
Ye hae bits o' queer gates whiles, but I wadna part wi' ye, or see ane o' yer grey hairs wranged.Peb. 1838 W. Welsh Poems 30:
He had the gaet to roar an' gape, An' jump about the poopit.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 108:
But since, wi' foolish thoughtless geats, I've brought mysel' to ruin's gates, I'll pad the road mysel'.Abd. 1867 Mrs Allardyce Goodwife viii.:
Wer ither herd thol't aye afore To lie ayont the byre; An' Jock maun tine his gentle gates.Cld. 1880 Jam.:
I'm jist learnin', an' no in to the gait o't yet.

4. Phrs. & Combs.: (1) at 'e gett, run away!, be off! (Cai. 1900 E.D.D.); cf. ellipt. use of (20) (a); (2) by the gate, on the road, on the way; (3) doon the gate, see Doon, adv.¹, III.; (4) fair furth the gate, see Fair, adv., 2., Furth; (5) half-gate(s), see 1. (3) and Half, adj.; (6) ill-gate(s), see Ill-gate; (7) in the gate, (a) on the way, along the road (Abd.²⁷ 1954); (b) to hand; (c) in the gate (o'), in the way (of), hampering (to), obstructing, opposing; (8) oot o' (someone's, the) gait, out i' gate, (a) out of someone's (the) way (Arg.¹ 1929; ‡Abd., Ags.¹⁸, wm.Sc.¹ 1954); ¶(b) fig. extraordinary; (c) not present, away; (d) fig. straight out, frank(ly) (Ags. 1954); (9) oot the gate, (a) up the road (‡Abd.²⁷ 1954); (b) out of the way; cf. (8) (a); (10) to be at the gate, (a) to be bankrupt, down and out (Per. 1954); cf. (20) (b); (b) with again, to be recovered from an illness (‡Abd.²⁷, Uls.⁴ 1954); cf. (11) (b); (c) with wi', to be on a par with, quits with; (11) to be to the gate, †(a) to be on the road, to be started (on a journey); (b) with again, to be out and about (after an illness) (‡Abd.²⁷ 1954); cf. (10) (b); †(12) to come out o' the gaet, to come quickly, used imper. = be quick! (Sc. 1818 Sawers); (13) to come the gate (o'), to come along (to), to put in an appearance (at) (‡Abd.²⁷ 1954); (14) to dee the richt gate, to behave properly or honestly (Abd.²⁷ 1954); (15) to gae the black gate, see Black gate; (16) to gang a (the) gray gate, see Gray, adj., B.; (17) to gang one's (ain) gate, go one's own gate,  to go one's own way; Gen.Sc., also in n.Eng. dial.; to go on one's way, go away, take oneself off (Abd.² 1949); †(18) to gang out the gate, “to run off, abscond, flee from justice” (Jam.⁵); †(19) to gang the gate, to go, depart this life, die; †(20) to gang to the gate, (a) to set out on a journey (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.), to be off, run away; (b) to go to wrack and ruin, to be destroyed (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.). Hence ellipt. to (the) gate, (a) be off!; (b) to destruction, in a sorry state; †(21) to gang (gae) up the gate, “to die, to go to wreck; a phrase slightly ludicrous” (Cld. 1825 Jam.); ‡(22) to get the gate of (someone), to know how to deal with, get the measure of (someone) (wm.Sc.¹ 1954); ‡(23) to gie (someone) his (ain) gate, to give someone his (own) way, to let someone have plenty of rope (Abd., wm.Sc. 1949); ¶(24) to go clean over the gate, to go out of one's mind, “off the rails”, where however the Eng. gate may be meant; ‡(25) to haud the gate, to hold on one's way (Sc. 1825 Jam.), fig. to hold one's own, e.g. in sickness; to be in good shape, to prosper (Abd.² 1949); cf. (26); (26) to keep the gate, to be in good health, to be out and about (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 225; Abd.² 1949); cf. (25); (27) to set (someone) to the gate, to start (someone) on a journey or walk (‡Abd.²⁷ 1954); also fig.; (28) to tak the black gate, see Black gate; (29) to tak (the) gate, ‡(a) to set off (either away from or towards home) (Abd.²⁷ 1954); also in Lan. dial.; †(b) to flee, run away (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.); †(c) of a child: to begin to walk; (30) water-gate, see Water; (31) weel ti the gate, at an advanced stage, well forward (Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 11; Rxb.⁵ 1954).(2) Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 147:
Ae Day gawn hameward, it fell late, And him benighted by the Gate.(7) (a) Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxx.:
Got ye ony drink, Jamie, in the gait home?Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 56:
But here's twa lads comes stalkin' in the gate, Wha's grugeous looks wad mak' a body sweat.Ags. 1846 A. Laing Wayside Flowers 104:
As they gaed out to dip their sark, Twa brankin' chiel's cam' in the gaet.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories 78:
[He] caught a glisk o' the factor drivin' straicht in the gaet to his door.(b) Sc. 1808 E. Hamilton Glenburnie vii.:
“Towels!” cried Mrs MacClarty, “Na, na, we manna pretend to towels; we just wipe up the things wi' what comes in the gait.”(c) Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) I. 154:
Some prisoners . . . Burnt every house came in their gate.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate xxx.:
An auld useless carline, called Tronda Dronsdaughter, . . . flung herself right in my sister's gate.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 73:
There's twa-fauld wark before Glenalvon's gullie — Lover an' husband, baith are in my gate.Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 93:
The thing that liesna in your gate, breaksna your shins.Ayr. 1870 J. K. Hunter Life Studies 28:
Common Sense at that time was muckle in the gait o' the clergy, and they misca'd her sair.Abd. 1875 G. Macdonald Malcolm (1927) i.:
Na, na; I hae nae feelin's, I'm thankfu' to say. I never kent ony guid come o' them. They're a terrible sicht i' the gait.(8) (a) Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 142:
To mak them snod, An' out o' gate o' botherin duns: They're sent abroad.Sc. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 187:
Stand out o' my gait there, Tam.Dmf. 1831 R. Shennan Tales 61:
Your greedy kin . . . wad like to see you out i' gate as weel as me.(b) Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel v.:
Send Solomon, King of the Jews, to Francis of France! — Body of me, man, it would have kythed Cellini mad, had he never done ony thing else out of the gate.(c) Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xxxviii.:
I'se awa' to pleugh the outfield then; for' if I am no to speak to him, I wad rather be out o' the gate.Abd.¹³ 1928:
We say “She's oot o' the gait,” meaning “out of the way, not to be seen.”(d) Ags. 1827 Justiciary Reports (1829) 96:
She might as well have told her even out of gate, that it was to do her harm.(9) (a) Mry. 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 81:
My winsome Friend, stap out the gate, The night, fane'er your wark is set.Abd. 1900 J. Milne Poems 4:
As he gaed platin' out the gate, A carlin cried, “Ah, Neil, yer late.”(b) Lnk. 1923 G. Rae 'Mang Lowland Hills 27:
Steer straucht frae oot the gait o' fules; Cauld-shoother them ayont the brae.(10) (b) Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 225:
“Is yir loonie better?” “Hoot i, he's at the gate agehn, an' fell strong.”(c) Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 132:
The couper 'll be fairly at the gate wi' the best o' them fan he's in'o Mull o' Meadaple.(11) (a) Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xx.:
I had anither rizzen for bein' early to the gait this mornin'.(b) Abd.² 1949:
Wir aul' neepour's tae the gate again, an' wis cockerin roon the close the day.(13) Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 170:
Thir clanjamfrey's no' come the gaet o' the Lord's hoose on ony gude or lawfu' yarran'.Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae 283:
Had this business no' cam' the gate, the bawbees wadna been to beg nor to borrow.(14) Abd. a.1880 W. Robbie Yonderton (1929) 48:
See 'at ye dee the richt gate noo, an' oh aw houp ye winna leern t' drink or t' sweer the wye 'at a lot o' the sailors diz.(17) Sc. 1712 J. Arbuthnot John Bull II. iv.:
Tell him he may e'en gan his get, I'll have nothing to do with him.Sc. 1824 Scott St Ronan's W. xxxix.:
“But come, Mowbray, my bairn,” he said, taking him by the arm, “we must pe ganging our ain gate, you and me, before waur comes of it.”Ags. 1878 Drama of John o' Arnha' 27:
Then gang yer gait for this night's work Wi' great John o' Arnha'.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 61:
Haud ga'n your gate.ne.Sc. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 10:
My man, John Will, wis just a fair average o' what men are generally. Gie him his head, an' let him gang his ain gait, an' he wis a' richt.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick xv.:
It wasna pleesant to see . . . a' them wha had been üsed to seek my opeenion . . . gaun their ain gait.Rxb. 1913 Kelso Chron. (14 Feb.) 4:
Sae gang your gate, for here comes Rab Frae mercat wi' the cuddies.Abd. 1916 G. Abel Wylins 65:
Man an' beast thegither took the road, But sin'ert, for the human cudna wait, So brak' awa' an' proodly gaed his gate.m.Sc. 1965 Hugh C. Rae Skinner (1988) 40:
He can gang his ain gait without me pokin my neb in. Gsw. 1966 Archie Hind The Dear Green Place (1984) 84:
'Ach, people just gang their ain gait.' m.Sc. 1986 Robert Calder in Joy Hendry Chapman 46 76:
One point is that folk gang their ain gait, have their own local or ancient traditional ways. Uls. 1987 Sam Hanna Bell Across the Narrow Sea 23:
For the future he would keep an open eye and a closed mouth and let other folk gang their ain gait. Ork. 1987 George Mackay Brown The Golden Bird (1989) 53:
'... I blame myself. I've let him go his own gate. He might learn yet. Experience will teach him.' m.Sc. 1991 Tom Scott in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 41:
I beg him to empower me
To gang my gait, to leese me on the livin:
But yon's the very thing he'll no be givin. m.Sc. 1991 William Neill in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 49:
Man sklims up tae be dingit doun
for thrones are ower het;
a bunnet's better nor a croun
for gangin yir ain gait.(18) Cld. 1880 Jam.:
Nae dout the shirra wants him, but he's gaen out the gate.(19) Rnf. 1827 W. Taylor Poems 49:
I maun gang the gate like a' the lave.Ayr. 1894 A. Laing Poems 23:
Your very sel' has gane the gait.(20) (a) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Heleenore 91:
Now by the time, that they their piece had ta'en, A' in a brattle to the gate they're gane.Cai. 1900 E.D.D.:
Gang to the gett. To the gett wi' ye.(b) Sc. a.1693 M. Bruce Lectures (1708) 9:
But it shall be no more a Land for you to dwell in, ye will go to the Gate, few or none of you shall be left, I will destroy the whole Land.Ayr. 1787 Burns Brigs of Ayr 121–22:
While crashing ice, borne on the roaring speat, Sweeps dams, an' mills, an' brigs, a' to the gate.Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 91:
Her shoon were amaist worn to bachels, Her cleedin' was gayly to gaet.(22) Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 74:
Deed, man, I think she's gotten the gate o' you unco weel.(23) Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel v.:
You should have had mair sense . . . than to gie Babie Charles and Steenie their ain gate.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Songs & Ballads (1852) 67:
Then gie him his gate; he's sae slee an' sae civil, Perhaps in the end he may wheedle the devil.(24) Kcd. 1932 “L. G. Gibbon” Sunset Song (1937) 303:
And at last he clean went over the gate, as a man might say, he took in his cuddy to live with him.(25) Sc. a.1693 M. Bruce Sermons (1709) 22:
Hold ay your Shoes on your Feet, and in Gods Name I promise you, ye shall hade the gate, fail who will.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 163:
They're Men of Candor, and right well they wate That Truth and Honesty hads lang the Gate.Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 34:
The wives gather't in about Janet to see Gin she ay held the gaet.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 225:
“Fou's a' your fouck the day?” “Thank ye, they're haudin' the gate fell weel.”Sc. 1880 J. Skelton Crookit Meg 21:
“I canna bide, Liar Corbie,” she exclaimed; “if ye wunna hear me, I maun e'en haud the gait.”(27) Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 51:
Wartna for them that set me to the gate, I'd liv'd an' died like bawty at my feet.Kcd. 1900 W. Macgillivray Glengoyne I. ii.:
Eance I'm set to the gate I can traivel a gey bit bittock yet.(29) (a) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 17:
At thir sad news poor Nory taks the gate, What legs could lift, tho' it was dark an' late.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 33:
An' wha are ye, my winsome dear, That takes the gate sae early?Ayr. 1791 Burns Tam o' Shanter 3–4:
As market-days are wearing late, An' folk begin to tak the gate.Mry. 1824 J. Cock Hamespun Lays 78:
Necessity, that has nae law, Gar't her tak gate.Bch. 1861 J. Davidson Poems 41:
I'll gang whaure'er they gae, Gin ye hae latt'n them tak gate To haud their “holiday.”Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 2:
Oh! the simmer's trumpet's blawin' . . . And wha wad wait to tak' the gait.ne.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 28:
Ere to schule in the mornin' the loons tak the gaet, They like a bit kick o' the ba'.(b) Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 171:
Aye takin' the gaet was expressly forbad; The auld folks shook heads owre ye — Shoosie, ye jaud!ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 178:
Noo surly Winter's ta'en the gate Oot owre the hills an' far awa'.(c) Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A child is said to tak the gait, when it begins to walk out.(31) Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
She's weel ti the gate wi' 'er wark.

II. v. Found only as ppl.adj. gaitit, †1. of a horse: broken in, accustomed to the gate or road (Sc. 1825 Jam.); 2. preceded by a qualifying adv. = -behaved, -mannered; see Ill-gate.