Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1733-1743, 1795-1805
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OAT, n. Sc. usages, mainly anglicisations of the hist. Sc. form Ait, q.v.:
Combs.: 1. oatcake, a thin, flat cake made of oatmeal. Gen.Sc., mainly dial. in Eng.; 2. oat dust, the fine particles of meal and husk produced in grinding corn. See Dust, n., 1. (2) (a); 3. oatear, the yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava rayi (Ayr. 1929 Paton and Pike Birds Ayr. 41); 4. oat-fowl, the snow-bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis (Ork. 1806 P. Neill Tour 204, 1866 Edm. Gl.); 5. oatland land on which oats are grown. Also as a place-name; 6. oat-leave, ground the first year after oats have been grown on it. Cf. Aitliff Crap and bear-leave s.v. Bear, n., 2. (13); 7. oat seed, the season of the sowing of the oat crop.2. Sc. 1805 R. Forsyth Beauties Scot. III. 348:
Oat-dust from the mill also makes part of the mixture.4. Ork. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 VII. 461:
A small bird, rather less than a sparrow, resorts here in winter, supposed to be the same with what is by some called the Empress's bird in Russia, and is called by the people here oat-fowls, because they prey on the oats.5. Slg. 1802 G. Galloway Admirable Crichton 71:
Bob over the oatland swift roams thro' all Scotland.6. Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 213:
The Crofting consisteth of four Breaks; whereof one, after a Year's Rest, is dunged for Bear, the second is Bear-leave, the third Oat-leave, the fourth ley.7. Sc. 1733 Session Papers, Petition J. Campbell (26 June 1751) 9:
The People of Calder were so taken up with their Oat-seed.
