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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HAT, n., v.¹ Also hatt, haut, ¶het (Ags. 1879 J. Y. Geddes New Jerusalem 129). Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. In phr. to gie (give) someone a hat, to salute in passing by lifting one's cap or hat (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 20; Ags., m.Lth., Bwk. 1956).Sc. 1722 D. Defoe Col. Jack (1840) 247:
I gave you my hat as I passed you.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel ii.:
He contented his politeness with “giving him a hat,” and so left the shop.Per. 1836 G. Penny Traditions 15:
So atrocious an offence against all decorum was it held for a person to pass a bailie on the street without giving him a hat.

2. A layer of scum or the like forming on the top of a liquid, esp. of yeast in brewing (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), hatt; ‡Sh., Ork. 1956), of cream (Bnff. 1956). Also attrib.Sh. 1732–5 Old-Lore Misc. IV. iii. 120:
Oil, 1s. per can; hat oil, ⅞ can, 5d.Abd. 1839 J. Robertson Bon-Accord 366:
Hatt is a name still applied here to the yeast on the surface of fermenting liquor.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
That barm's workan bonnily; the're a fine hat on it noo.

II. v. 1. To salute by raising the hat (Ags. 1956).Fif. 1894 D. S. Meldrum Margrédel iii.:
Ye might walk through my people, from Ceres Market to St James's Fair, and none hat ye save as my squire.

2. To form a scum or hat. Found only as ppl.adj. hatted, hattit in comb. hatted kit(t), a preparation of milk with a creamy top, composed of buttermilk, milk and sugar and spices; a bowlful of sour cream (Lnl. 1808 Jam.).Sc. 1719 Lady G. Baillie's Household Bk. (S.H.S.) 290:
Lemon hatted kit.Sc. 1818 Scott Bride of Lamm. xi.:
He has spilt the hatted kitt that was for the Master's dinner.Sc. 1851 H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 299:
Hatted kit is one of the pleasantest preparations of milk. Make 2 quarts of new milk scalding hot, and pour upon it quickly 4 quarts of fresh butter-milk; let it stand, without stirring, till it becomes cold and firm; then take off the hat or upper part, drain it in a hair-sieve, put it into a shape for half an hour, turn it into a dish, and serve with cream and sugar.

3. To remove or skim off the hat (from a churn).Sc. 1819 Jacobite Relics (Hogg) I. 96:
He steal'd the key, and hautit the kirn, And siccan a feast he never saw.

4. Phr.: hatting ower the bonnets, the name of a boys' game; cf. Hatty, id.Lnk. 1895 W. C. Fraser Whaups of Durley iii.:
When we were deeply engaged in a game of “hatting ower the bonnets.”