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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MITTEN, n.¹, v. Also mittan, -on; ¶myting. In Gen.Sc. usage referring to ordinary five-fingered gloves as well as those with no fingers or with a separate compartment for the thumb only.

I. n. 1. As above. It is not always possible to distinguish the various meanings.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. ii. i.:
Wale out the whitest of my bobbit Bands My white-skin Hose, and Mittons for my Hands.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxi.:
Hastily and confusedly searching for his worsted mittans.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 120:
Whan on the table down he threw Ane birrin' gauntlet down: A dozen glasses by the mitten Were into shivers smash'd and smitten.Ags. 1833 J. Sands Poems 72:
Mittens, white as drifted sand, Were clapped upon ilk horny hand.

2. Phrs. and comb.: (1) pin-mittens, see quot.; (2) to be right in one's mittens, to be “oneself”, to be in one's usual good health and spirits; (3) to claw up someone's mittens, to kill, deal the death-blow to, “do for”, to bowl over as in shooting an animal (Fif., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1963). Also fig. to overturn, trounce. Cf. (5); (4) to glack someone's mitten(s), see Glack, v.; (5) to lay up somebody's mittens, to “do for” one, to finish one off, “beat out one's brains” (Abd. 1825 Jam.); in pass. to be done for, to be all up with one. Cf. (3).(1) Rxb. 1825 Jam.:
Pin-mittens. Woollen gloves wrought upon a wooden pin, by males, instead of the wires used by women. Cowherds and shepherds are particularly expert at this work.(2) Sh. 1897 Shetland News (10 July):
Bawby, doo's no right i' dy mittens da night. . . . A'm seen dee as cheerfü an' canty as ony lass i' da place.Sh. 1898 Ib. (31 Dec.):
I wisna still right i' me mittens, bit I wis a corne reviv'd.(3) Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxiv.:
My correspondent bought it in the Palace yard, that's like just under the King's nose — I think he claws up their mittans! — It came in a letter about a foolish bill of exchange that the man wanted me to renew for him.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xviii.:
But when mamma comes home, she'll claw up both your mittens.(5) Abd. 1754 R. Forbes Journal 25:
An' the horse tak' a brattle now, they may come to lay up my mittens, an' ding me yavil.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 35:
I hears a human voice cry out for help; Ere I wan forth the waefu' soun' did stop, Whate'er they waur their mittens waur laid up.

3. In pl.: handcuffs.Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 20:
An' so my lad was made fast an' a pair o' mittens clappit on wi' little mair adee.

†4. A small squat person or child (Ags. 1808 Jam., myting; Abd. 1919 T.S.D.C.). Jam's spelling seems due to confusion with O.Sc., Mid.Eng. myting, a little mite.Bnff. 1893 W. Gregor Dunbar's Wks. (S.T.S.) III. 62:
I have heard mitten applied to a child, boy, girl, and man of a small, somewhat dumpy stature.

II. v. 1. In ppl.adj. mittened, gloved, in proverbial sayings, of people who are too fastidious to show the necessary energy or spirit.Abd. c.1880 Gregor MSS.:
Mittent cats catches nae mice.Abd.⁴ 1933:
“Mittent cats canna tak' mice,” over-dressed folk can't do much good.

2. To grab hold of, to grasp, seize (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh., Abd., Ags. 1963). Cf. n., 3. Also phr. tae mitten a haud o', id. See Haud, n.Sh. 1898 J. Burgess Tang 167:
Perk comed out and mittened me below that darned window.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 70:
He mittened dem baith, een in every haand an' lockit dem up.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 58. 17:
But I juist mittened a had o da lipper.