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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TAE, n.¹, v. Also tee (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. toe. See P.L.D. § 32. [te:]

I. n.

Sc. form of Eng. toe.ne.Sc. 1991 Lilianne Grant Rich in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 23:
Skirlin and lauchin, ilk wi spindrift weet,
At the waves' edge the bairns their taes try in

Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. Combs. and phrs.: (1) tae-bit, the iron toe-plate on the front of the sole of boots (Sh., ne., em.Sc.(a), w.Lth., Lnk. 1972); (2) tae-breadth, -bree(d)th, the smallest distance possible (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 189; Sh. 1972); (3) tae('s)-length, the length of one's toe, fig. a very short distance (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; I., n.Sc., Slg., Fif., Lnk., Wgt. 1972); (4) taeshod, = (1) (Cai. 1905 E.D.D.). See Shod, n.; (5) tae-stane, a tombstone erected at the foot of a grave. Cf. heidstane s.v. Heid, I. 1. Combs. (15); (6) to be tied by the tae, to have domestic or similar obligations, to be limited in one's freedom of action, to be “tied” (Bnff. 1972); (7) to brak one's tae, to over-exert oneself, to make excessive haste, gen. used ironically, as in quot.: (8) to fecht with one's ain taes, to be very quarrelsome (Sh., Cai., Abd. 1972); (9) to get one's taes chappit in aboot, to be rebuffed (Abd. 1972); (10) to have one's een in one's taes, to be completely sure-footed; (11) to hae the ba' langest at one's tae, to keep the advantage, to have the best of the game; (12) to turn one's tae, to set off in another direction (Sh. 1972); to turn one's tae whar one's heel stands, to turn round, to face in the opposite direction.(1) Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlviii.:
Frae the nap o' the bonnet to the point o' the taebit.(3) Sc. 1818 S. Ferrier Marriage xxxii.:
His beasts war nae fit to gang the length o' their tae farrer.Ags. 1823 A. Balfour Foundling III. iii.:
If ony ane o' thae chaps offer to budge his tae length.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. x.:
No to be fit to walk your tae's length.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 67:
Ye're no gaun the length o' yer muckle tae oot here the day.(4) Ayr. 1883 W. Aitken Lays 118:
Heelshod or taeshod and tacket and pin.(5) Abd. 1877 G. MacDonald M. of Lossie vii.:
She can haud her tongue like the tae-stane o' a grave.(6) Per. c.1800 Lady Nairne Songs (Rogers 1905) 209:
Send aff the men, and to Prince Charlie say, My heart is wi' him, but I'm tied by the tae.(7) Abd. 1867 A. Allardyce Goodwife 14:
See an nae brak yer tae.(10) Edb. 1900 E. H. Strain Elmslie's Drag-Net 108:
Stoddart to quote his own phrase “had his e'en in his taes”; he knew the place like the palm of his hand.(11) Ags. 1815 Montrose Review (5 May) 142:
There's nae sayin' wha may hae the ba' langest at their tae.(12) Sh. 1902 J. Burgess Sh. Folk 65:
I canna turn mi tae whar mi heel staands bit what ye hae somethin' ta set i' mi rodd.

2. A branch of a field drain (Abd. 1792 Trans. Bnff. Field Club (1889) 59).Abd. 1811 G. Keith Agric. Abd. 428:
Where several branches meet near the head of a principal drain, which are provincially its toes or taes, . . . these branches generally enter it at an obtuse angle.

3. A prong or tine of a fork, rake, salmon spear, etc. (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc. Ppl.adj. tae'd, tae't, pronged, toothed, of a metal implement, having (a specified number of) tines (Sc. 1880 Jam.); comb. taed heuck, a toothed reaping-hook (Fif. 1921 T.S.D.C.).Ayr. 1785 Burns Death and Dr. Hornbook vi.:
An awfu' scythe, out-owre ae shouther, . . . A three-tae'd leister on the ither.Sc. 1813 The Scotchman 103:
Down he fell an gat his oxter rippet up wi the taes o a graip.s.Sc. 1885 W. Scrope Salmon Fishing 266:
He dung yin o' the taes o' the waster intil my leg.Abd. 1906 Banffshire Jnl. (3 July) 3:
The dung wi' cleeks was put in heaps, An' spread wi' sturdy three-taed graips.Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 21:
There's a tae awanteen i this graip.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 124:
Da tae o' an auld dreg.Bnff. 1949 Banffshire Jnl. (1 Nov.):
A half-worn graip, its short taes (or tines) turned at right angles to the shaft.

4. Golf: the point or fore-part on the head of a club, the ‘nose'.Sc. 1857 Chambers's Information II. 695:
When standing too far, the ball is apt to be ‘drawn' or ‘hooked' — that is to say, struck with the point or ‘toe' of the club, in which case the ball flies in to the left.Sc. 1911 Encycl. Sport II. 342:
To hit the ball with the heel or near part of the face, or the toe or farther part.

5. One of the thongs at the end of a tawse or school-strap (Sc. 1905 E.D.D.; I., n.Sc. 1972). Hence lang-taed, with long thongs.Dmf. 1806 Scots Mag. (March) 206:
It was the taes o' thy auld taws Dang i' my haurns the muckle AA's.Edb. 1851 A. MacLagan Sketches 166:
A' tremblin', for the lang-taed tawse In auld grannie's leather pouch.Fif. 1909 J. C. Craig Sangs o' Bairns 102:
“Sam,” . . . Wi's three weel-burnt taes, Oor palmies het.

II. v. Golf: to strike the ball with the point or tip of the club (Sc. 1911 Encycl. Sport II. 342).Sc. 1893 Longman's Mag. (April) 651:
They might toe or heel the ball.