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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.

HAVIN(G)S, n.pl. Also ha(i)vens, haivins; ¶sing. havin' (Ayr. 1791 Caled. Mercury (19 Sept.)). [′he:vɪnz]

1. Behaviour, deportment, (good) manners (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Abd.⁶ 1913, ‡Abd. 1956, haivins); “good sense” (‡Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 692, haivins).Sc. 1722 Ramsay Three Bonnets iv. 36:
But wha with havins jees his bonnet And says, Thanks t'ye for your Sonnet.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 89:
Indeed an't like your honour I dinna ken, For me to speer wad nae gueed havings been.Ayr. 1786 Burns Ep. to J. Lapraik xx.:
Awa ye selfish, warly race, Wha think that havins, sense an' grace, Ev'n love an' friendship should give place To catch-the-plack!Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality x.:
Ye'll hae but little o' my company unless ye shew gentler havings. — It was na to hear that sort o' nonsense that brought me here.Rxb. 1826 A. Scott Poems 107:
Time has left me yet some pride, An' havens in my pow.Rnf. 1873 D. Gilmour Pen' Folk 29:
A rebuke from the mothers for our want of havens would calm us down.Abd. 1932 Abd. Press and Jnl. (13 April):
Fat a sin o' his fa wis some sully hid files te thole for his ill haivins.Ayr. 1952 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 312:
Ae thing I'se warrant — he's nae manners. The ploo-stocks — that's whaur he got his havins.

2. Given by Jam. as = dress, clothing, in quot. below, the first edition of Helenore reading “claithing.” But Ross appears to have altered the sense in the 2nd ed. and the meaning is prob. as in 1.Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore 129:
To them he says, Ye'll tak this angel sweet, And dress with havins for your mistress meet.