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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 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NOTE, n.¹ Also not(t) (Cai. 1697 Old-Lore Misc. IX. i. 49; Abd. 1701 Trans. Bch. Field Club X. 152; Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 147). Sc. forms and usages.

Sc. form of Eng. note. (Sh., Ork., Cai., Arg. 2000s).Arg. 1998 Angus Martin The Song of the Quern 56:
They stapped fir tea an crack, an wan
scrieved a not wi a bleckened han
an pushed it deep as he could sen
it through the moss on a cromack's en.

Sc. usages:

1. Sc. Law: an appendix to a decree of court, in which the judge states the reasons for his decision (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 59); a procedure in the Inner House of the Court of Session followed in making an incidental application (Ib.), gen. called a petition before 1825. For comb. reclaiming note, see Reclaim. Hence noter, one who presents such a note to the Court.Sc. 1825 Act 6 Geo. IV. c.120 § 9:
A short and concise note, drawn and signed by counsel, of the pleas in law on which the action or defence is to be maintained.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 679:
The term note is also applied to various incidental applications. . . . In the Inner-House, such incidental notes are usually presented where a prorogation of the term for lodging a paper ordered by the Court is required; where it is necessary to have a remit of a depending cause to a new Lord Ordinary; where circumstances render it necessary to pray the Court to retard or expedite the decision in a particular cause, or the like. . . . In the Outer-House, occasionally, though rarely, an application is made to the Lord Ordinary by a note, where, in peculiar circumstances, the requisite motion cannot be otherwise made.Sc. 1937 Thomson & Middleton Ct. of Session Procedure 402:
The step of process, which in the Inner House corresponds to the Outer House minute, is a note addressed either to the Lord President or Lord Justice-Clerk, who is requested to move his Court to grant authority for the performance of what the applicant desires.Sc. 1963 Scotsman (13 Dec.) 12:
A Final Note was on the 9th December 1963, presented to the Court of Session — to approve the Noter's whole intromissions as official Liquidator and to discharge the Noter as Official Liquidator.

2. A one-pound bank-note, a pound. Gen.Sc. Combs.: clinkin note, a pound in coin; half-note, a 10/- note (see Half, II. 1. (19)).Sc. 1775 Caled. Mercury (9 Aug.):
The countryman had lost his two notes with the young fellow, by pricking at the garter.Slk. 1801 Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club X. 304:
You say you are wishing to spend a note upon yourself.Lnk. 1824 Sc. Peasants xxvi.:
He put down his own name for a note, and got nine more from the heritors — so that was ten pounds a-year.Dmb. 1842 Children in Trades Report ii. i 81:
They are paid monthly; she gets “a note” [i.e. £1] per month.Cai. 1872 M. McLennan Peasant Life 301:
Pay a score nots tae buy off sae fine a fella!Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff 33:
I've cashed wheat at four notes a quarter.Abd. 1961 People's Jnl. (14 Jan.) 10:
Efter ye left yersel wi' a nott or twa in yer pooch ye laid by the lave tae pey for yer claes an' sheen.

3. A thing of note, a noteworthy incident or characteristic, something worth recounting, a striking saying.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 49, 134:
He was a great oddity, and had some very droll notes. . . . Hae ye heard the bit note aboot Sanny Armour?Kcb. 1911 Crockett Rose of the Wilderness xiii.:
I declared that I had never seen so many people with good manners all collected together before. Nan said that was the “note” of the place.

4. Excited or angry speech, loud words.Ayr. 1963:
Did ye hear the notes o' him?

5. Fig. a small insignificant person or thing.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin viii.:
I wasna sae dooms sma' a note as to shrink into invisibility.

6. Phr. to take notes, see quot.Sc. 1875 A. Hislop Anecdotes 81:
In order to ensure attention to the service [at family worship], each member was required to recite a verse, or a portion of a verse, at the conclusion of the chapter read - this was called "taking notes".