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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SID, n., v. Also sidd, †side (Abd. 1764 W. M. Findlay Oats (1956) 171); sud (Ork. 1911 J. Omond 80 Years Ago 22). [sɪd]

I. n. 1. Gen. in pl.: the inner husks of oats after grinding, freq. containing particles of the meal which have not been sifted and from which Sowans are made (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); I., n.Sc., Per. 1970). See 1956 quot. and Seed. Also attrib. and fig. Adj. siddie, -y, full of husks.Sc. 1715 Jacobite Relics (Hogg 1819) I. 122:
Wha cares for a' their creeshy duds, And a' Kilmarnock sowen suds?Abd. 1736 A. Watt Hist. Kintore (1865) 97:
If any quantity of sids shall be found among the ferms the owners of said ferms shall forfeit double the weight of said sids and meal.Abd. 1762 Trans. Bnff. Field Club (1881) 49:
Three bolls two firlots and two lippies of meal (including therein sid and ly meal) all made of great white oats.Sc. 1831 J. Logan Sc. Gael II. 117:
Sughan is the suans or sowens of the Low Country, being the juice of ‘sids', or the siftings of oatmeal, after having been steeped in water until it has acquired a slight acidity.Abd. 1879 G. MacDonald Sir Gibbie vii.:
Sometimes he buried himself in the sids lying ready to feed the kiln of a meal-mill.Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 62:
Hairy butter is guid anoff for siddy bread.Abd. c.1890 Gregor MSS.:
There's nae muckle in a sid (said of a dull minister).Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 100:
“Sids” or “suds”, that is the husk of oats nearest to the kernal and to which a fine floury part of the meal adheres.Abd. 1956 W. M. Findlay Oats 203:
Sids are sifted out from the oatmeal after the kernels are ground. They consist of: (a) the husks from the small grains that are not shelled; (b) very fine flour of meal sticking to the inside of the husks; (c) particles of oatmeal that are not sifted out.Abd. 1994 David Toulmin in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 75:
... the miller kept his sids and his dist and ye was spared the diet o' the Prodigal Son.

2. A small particle, esp. of some granulated substance (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1970).Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 45:
I'm just broucht a sid o' tea wi' me.Sh. 1958 New Shetlander No. 46. 9:
Haes due a sid o shugger till da van comes?

3. The least little thing, anything at all, esp. in phrs. nae worth a sid, quite worthless (Abd. 1910), (never) to lat or say sid(s), to be absolutely silent and discreet, to keep mum, (never) to say a word, make the least remark (Mry., Bnff., Abd. 1970).Kcd. 1893 Stonehaven Jnl. (2 Nov.) 2:
Afore ye cud say sidds.Sh. 1959 New Shetlander No. 51. 30:
Afore I could say “sid”, da venom o a van dirled right ower da broo o da rod.Abd. 1963 Buchan Observer (8 Oct.) 6:
I nivver said sids aboot i' toon.

II. v. Of fine rain: to drip, prob. a vbl. extension of I. 2. (Sh. 1970).Sh. 1895 Williamson MSS. (1 March):
He's been sidin out o' im.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
He is sid(d)in de rain, sid(d)in doon de rain, sid(d)in and rainin.