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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HEIDIE, adj. Also heidy, heady.

1. Headstrong, impetuous, violent. Gen.(exc. I.)Sc.; proud, haughty (Mry.¹ 1925; Bnff., Kcd., Per. 1956). For comb. see Ill heady.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan II. i.:
I hear you call out in your dreams as if you were fording some deep river, or perilling your life in some heady battle.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxiv.:
Ou, ay: they war baith owre heidie, ye see. Prenciple's ae thing, but jist to rin yersel' clean intill a snorl disna dee.Sc. 1886 Stevenson Dr Jekyll 112:
I felt younger, lighter, happier in body; within I was conscious of a heady recklessness.Kcb. 1897 A. J. Armstrong Robbie Rankine 9:
He's gey heidy.Abd.⁷ 1925:
It is said of one who would be headstrong, but who is prevented from giving full effect to his intentions, “It's weel a heidy coo hiz short horns.”

2. Clever, showing proof of brains. Gen.Sc. Often in conjunction with knite, knot(ar) = a clever fellow (Abd.⁵ 1890, -knot; Bch. 1919 T.S.D.C. III.; Mry.¹ 1925, -knite, knotar; ‡Abd.²⁷ 1930).Lnk. 1888 A. G. Murdoch Readings (Ser. 2) 64:
This was the programme o' heady contrivances an' sleep-breakin' noises expected to be set agoing at half-past five o'clock.Abd.¹⁵ 1920:
Ye're a heidy knite; cud stan' a lot o' saft mait.

3. Apt to make one giddy, dizzy (m.Lth., Rxb. 1956). In Eng. gen. restricted to something which intoxicates or stupefies. Also compar. heidier. Gsw. 1879 A. G. Murdoch Rhymes 62:
Noo, mind your feet, and dinna trip, For, by my faith, Ower sic a heidy hicht tae slip Is instant death. Sc. 1983 John McDonald in Joy Hendry Chapman 37 44:
Sit doun,
pit doun yer heidy wecht
o sanctly whigmaleeries Sc. 1991 John McDonald in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 90:
I pree a strang quaich i the myndin o ye
(heidier fir its fifty-year quickenin)
a stowp stobbed i the steirin sauns Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 18:
An syne ma waesome wechty fraacht
Growes licht, yer sangie warms ma veins
Like some aal ballad's liltin strains
Or like a love-brew's heidy draacht.