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).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GAUT, n. Also ga(a)t and dim. gautie. A pig, a boar (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 180; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 220; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Cai.⁸ 1934, gaat, gaut, Cai.⁷ 1945, gaut(ie)); a hog, a castrated boar (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 59; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), gaat (esp. in place-names, e.g. of skerries), Ork. 1929 Marw., gat; I.Sc., Cai., Mry., Bnff. 1954); a young female pig, †a castrated sow (Rxb. 1825 Jam.; e.Rs.¹ 1929, gaut(ie)). Also in Eng. dial. Cf. Galti, id. [gɑ:t]Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 591:
Asyde Donal o Nius' mukkle flekkit gaat, it wiz cüllin him dere i da runnik.Sh. 1898 Shet. News (20 Aug.):
William yokid da gaut ower da trünie wi' sic a grip 'at he eir'd.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 9:
Every time 'at da peerie gaut grunts . . . it jöst resoonds oot troo da open o' my puir head.Cai. 1928 John o' Groat Jnl. (10 Feb.):
He can gi'e hiz a shillin' a pun for wir fat gauties.

Combs.: 1. gautsame, hog's lard (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 220); see Saim; 2. mill-gaut, see Mill.