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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.

OUTGAE, v., n. Also oot-. Pr.p. outgain; pa.p. -gane, vbl.n. -gae(i)n, -ga(u)n. See Gae, v., Gan. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. outgo. [′utge:]

1. To go out, depart. Common in ppl.adj. and vbl.n. Gen.Sc. Specif. in vbl.n., (1) in ploughing: the point at which the plough comes out of the earth at the end of the furrow (Ags. 1964); (2) “the entertainment given to a bride in her father's or master's house, before she sets out to that of the bridegroom” (Sc. 1825 Jam.); (3) the sale of implements, etc., when a farm tenant gives up his lease (Slk. 1964).Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxxix.:
May the Giver of all good things keep ye in your outgauns and incomings.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 273:
Tak tent o' my birds i' the outgaun.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 241:
Dy oot-gaen 'ill gie me a sair haert, as mony a ene I'm haed afore.Lnk. 1951 G. Rae Howe o' Braefoot 94:
A bit dram o' weel-wushin' at Knock-knowes at the ootgaun o' the auld 'ear.Ags. 1959 C. Gibson Folk-lore Tayside 19:
In a ploughing match points are given for the ingans and the ootgans.Abd. 1960 Stat. Acc.³ 397:
Th' wife his a'thing handy i' th' hoose here, an' nae oot-gaun on an ill day t' th' wall for water.

2. As ppl.adj.: (1) of the tide: ebbing (Sh., Ags., Kcb. 1964); (2) of a fire or light; expiring, dying out (Sh. 1964); (3) of clothes: suitable for wearing in public, going-out; (4) of the tenant of house or farm: removing, leaving (Abd. 1925; I., ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1964); of his stock: in the fields, grazing.(1) Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 90:
To be left by ootgaun tide.(2) Ayr. 1910 J. McIntosh Poets Ayr. 102:
And the eerie mirk cam' wi' the outgaun blink.Lnk. 1919 G. Rae 'Tween Clyde 44:
This nicht I sit beside an ootgaun fire.(3) Dmf. 1830 W. Bennet Traits Sc. Life III. 148:
Dibbin was dressed in his out-going suit of hodden gray . . . coarse “rig-and-fur” blue stockings, and on his feet he wore strong, thick-soled shoes, well paved with tackets.Sc. 1874 W. Allan Hamespun Lilts 155:
Sma' persuasion did it need frae me To gar her don her oot-gaun toggery.(4) Sc. 1829 R. Chambers Sc. Songs II. 577:
I lo'e thee better, Kate, my dear, Than a' my riggs and out-gaun gear.Sc. 1997 The Hon. Lord Gill The Law of Agricultural Holdings in Scotland 82:
7.38 Section 8(2) confers an additional right, on the tenant only, at any time during the tenancy to require themaking of a record existing improvements carried out by the tenant or taken over by him with the landlord's consent from an outgoing tenant Sc. 1997 The Hon. Lord Gill The Law of Agricultural Holdings in Scotland 137:
12.31...In the case of a market garden where an incoming tenant is substituted for the outgoing tenant under the Evesham custom there is deemed, for the purposes of section 13, not to be a new tenancy. Sc. 1997 The Hon. Lord Gill The Law of Agricultural Holdings in Scotland 249:
Opportunity to purchase
23.03 The outgoing tenant's right of sale or removal under the section is conditional on his giving an opportunity to purchase in accordance with the section.
The opportunity may be given either to the landlord or to the incoming tenant.

2. To grow beyond in age, to pass. Gen. in pa.p. (Sh. 1964).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 13:
A dainty stirrah had, twa years out gane.Fif. 1864 St. Andrews Gazette (16 Jan.):
When I was a callant, near oot gaen nineteen.Bwk. 1876 W. Brockie Leaderside Legends 10:
Yet he was but a youth in years, No twenty-twae outgaen.Sh. 1960 New Shetlander No. 54. 13:
Fur me douchter just laek aa da rest, tho shü's ootgaen forty-tree.