Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

†GORBET, n. Also -it. Cf. Gorbal.

1. A young unfledged bird (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; ‡Ags. 1955). Also in Nhb. dial.Kcd. 1854 G. Menzies Poems 134:
My head, as licht's a gorbet's feather.Per. a.1869 C. Spence Poems (1898) 158:
The half-fledged gorbits screeched and cried For mercy.Abd. 1905 J. Fullerton Poems 63:
The gorbets, there's but three; An' sune they'll flap their little wings, An' try frae hame tae flee.Fif. 1909 Colville 125:
The young “gorbets” were fed on crowdie.

Comb.: gorbit-oo, the down on fledglings; also fig. the downy hair on an adolescent boy's face (Mearns, Lnk. 1955). Cf. Gorblin.

2. A child (Ags. 1808 Jam., ‡Ags. 1955).Ags. 1867 G. W. Donald Poems 25:
Get breekies to Tammie, — a beaver t' Jock; Gie! gie! cries the vixen, ilk gorbit cries, Gie!

¶3. A beak, mouth.Ags. 1897 A. Reid Bards Ags. & Mearns 495:
Noo gape a wide gorbit — there, that's a big sup!