Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RACKLESS, adj. Also rackles, -liss (Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 88), rakless. Sc. forms of Eng. reckless (Sc. 1818 Sawers, Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Uls. 1953 Traynor, I.Sc., Wgt. 1967). Comb. rackless-handed, apt to do things in a heedless, slap-dash manner. Deriv. racklessly, recklessly, heedlessly (Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 120).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 18:
The waefou Thud, Be rackless Death, wha came unsenn To Lucky Wood.
Sc. 1724 Ib. III. 82:
I deimt Dame Nature was gane will. To rair with rackles Reil.
Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shep. (S.T.S.) 193:
For me, I soon sall take a rackless race, An' gae where I had never kend a face.
Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 24:
Ane [lamb] tak's a sten across the foggy fur' Wi' rackless force, syne at his heels in troops The rest rin brattlin after.
Sc. 1829 Scotch Haggis 371:
Ah, that rackless stupid laddie, Jamie, no half tenty.
Gsw. 1844 J. Lemon Lays St. Mungo 51:
It [spate] rooted up the younglin' trees An' scores o' ither outbye things It rackless bure awa.
Sh. 1898 Shetland News (14 May):
Dy rakless wyes'll dü suntin ta dee yet.

[For -a-, cf. Rackon. O.Sc. rakless, a.1400.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Rackless adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/rackless>

21755

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: