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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HIDE, v., n.¹

A. Sc. forms:

1. Inf. and pr.t. hide, †hid (Ags. 1708 Dundee Charters, etc. (1880) 136), hoid(e) (Sh. 1879 Shetland Times (3 May), 1919 T. Manson Peat Comm. II. 29, Sh. 1957), hod(e) (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.), hod (Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 17; Abd., Kcd., Ags. 1957), howd (Fif. 1825 Jam.; Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 51; Fif. 1896 G. Setoun R. Urquhart viii., Fif. 1957), houd (Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 100). [Sc. həid, hʌid; Ags. hod, Fif. hʌud. See etym. note.]wm.Sc. 1986 Robert McLellan in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 27:
I suppose ye ken it's wrang to hid a man on the run?

2. Pa.t., st. forms: hed (Abd., Per., Fif., Lth. (Wilson)), haid (Slk. 1818 Hogg Hunt of Eildon (1874) 223), haed (Dmf. 1808 R. H. Cromek Remains 285), hade (Ayr. 1789 D. Sillar Poems 47; s.Sc. 1856 H. S. Riddell St Matthew xiii. 33; Lnk. 1877 W. McHutchison Poems 184; Mry., Abd., Rxb. 1957), hod(e) (Abd., Kcd., Ags.); wk. forms: hided, -et (Cai., Abd.), hoided, -it (Sh.); hoddit (Ags.); howdit (Fif.).
Abd. 1981 Christina Forbes Middleton The Dance in the Village 3:
Twa burglars hoddit aneth the stair
An' crouched there till they were stiff
Ane raised his heid as far's he daur't
An syne he startit tae sniff.

3. Pa.p., st. forms: hod(d)(e)n (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxviii.; Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables frae French 81; Bch. 1932 Dieth 156, “in playing ‘hide an' seek'”; Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 55); wk. forms: hidet, -it (ne.Sc.), hoddit (m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 24; Abd., Kcd., Ags. 1957), hod (Ags. 1899 D. W. Buchanan Lays 63; Abd. 1909 C. Murray Hamewith 24; Ags. 1957), hoided, hoddit (Sh.), howded (Fif.).

B. Sc. usages:

I. v. Phrs. and Combs.: 1. hide-a-bo-seek, the game of hide and seek (Bwk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1957); 2. hide an' steek, id. (used fig. in quot.); 3. hide-i'-the-heather, see Heather, 4. (1); 4. hide the cat, = 6. (Per. c.1916); 5. hide the cout-seek it out, = 6. Cf. kittle-the-cout, s.v. Kittle, v.¹, 4; 6. hide the gully, a game in which a search is made for a hidden article, in this case a knife (Ayr. 1957); 7. hide-the-mare, id. (Sc. 1818 Sawers s.v. kittlie-cowt).2. Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 56:
I won'er how our light-tail'd jades can plan, To play sae weel at hide an' steek wi' man.5. Ayr. 1844 Ayrshire Wreath 135:
That game was ended, and next they tried hide the cout-seek it out.6. Ayr. 1862 J. Baxter The Kirn 45:
Let's play at hide the gully.

II. n. A secret hiding place.Fif. 1928 St Andrews Cit. (25 Feb.) 6:
The remains of gin howds, which were cunningly contrived places for concealing contraband spirits in casks.