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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NEEDCESSITY, n. Also needsesity, -secity, -sesaty (Wgt. 1749 Session Bk. Glasserton MS. (14 Feb.)).

1. Necessity, need (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Fif. 1886 S. Tytler St. Mungo's City xxx.; Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters xii.; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; m.Sc., Uls. 1963). Also in Eng. dial. and U.S. Adj. needcessitous. Ppl.adj. needcessited, obliged, forced.Rnf. 1706 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) 193:
When neither the circumstances of poverty nor needcessity can tempt to sick heinous cryme.Slg. 1740 Trans. Slg. Arch. Soc (1926) 48:
Considering the needsecity of the poor of the trade.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xxxiii.:
I'se . . . see if I canna get some o' our ain folk to bring help in time of needcessity.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail ii.:
No living soul can have a greater compassion than mysel' for gentle blood come to needcessity.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail xi.:
The gudeman has been needcessited to pay for twa sets o' mournings.s.Sc. 1839 Wilson's Tales of the Borders V. 265:
The blessin o' the poor and the needcessitous.Per. 1897 C. M. Stuart Sandy Scott's Bible Class 81:
Ye maun just be like the apostle Paul, and glory in your needcessities.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xii.:
Bleeze awa' about the needcessity o' speed in the guid cause.ne.Sc. 1952 John R. Allan North-East Lowlands of Scotland (1974) 191:
"There's a thing that happens, though you are not o a family to understand it, but married men hae sometimes a difficulty o putting their wives wi a bairn. Now there are ways in siccan a mechanter. Sometimes it's the man that's no on his mettle and a diet o good green kale can kittle him. The Minister o Marnoch had kale in his yard that folk came twenty mile for in their needcessity, and it kept up the baptisings at a steady trade: aye, it did that. . . ."

2. In pl.: the necessities of day-to-day existence (Uls. 1953 Traynor, Uls. 1963).Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock xxiii.:
It may be jeedged but fair the auld captain sud contreebit to the needcessities o' the hoose.