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.
Quotation dates: 1836-1957
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ODIOUS, adj., adv. Also odias. Used in Sc. as an intensive. Cf. Awfu', colloq. "terrible."
I. adj. Very big, great, excessive, intense, out of the ordinary (Kcd. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh. 1964); strange, wonderful; erroneous (Angus).Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 589:
Da rumple o' da steag wiz waadg'd up till a grett mukkle odias whyte stean . . . a odia [sic] floamie o' barkit skean benon apo da boddim.Wgt. 1877 "Saxon" Gall. Gossip 128:
The Co of the Grennan in Kirkmaiden . . . used to be reckoned an odious bit for Fairies.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 244:
Fae I wis a knee height I'm aye hed a odious laekin' fir da lasses.Sh. 1933 J. Nicholson Hentilagets 15:
Da odious licht fadds slowly fae da sky.Sh. 1948 New Shetlander (Jan.–Feb.) 11:
Me nain weariness pat a odious sleep ipo me.
Hence odiously, in an extraordinary manner or degree, very much.Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 47:
Lord bliss de fir da sid o' tea, fir it's revived me odiously.
II. adv. Very, exceedingly (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Sh., Uls. 1964).Wgt. 1877 "Saxon" Gall. Gossip 129:
Im'nt I maist odious splendid?Sh. 1898 W. F. Clark Northern Gleams 90:
He haed been in Lerrouk mony a time, an' laekid da place odious weel.Kcb. 1911 G. M. Gordon Clay Biggin' 51:
An odious fine couple they are tae . . . juist horrid kind folk an' real gentry a' ower.Sh.13 1957:
Shö wis most odious bonnie.