Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WORTH, adv. Also wirth (Abd. 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert iii.); with, woth, wuth. Only in phr. to †fa (see Fa, v., 9. (28)), gae or gang (aa, clean) worth, -aworth, to go to pot, to become spoilt or useless, to go to ruin in any sense, by illness, bankruptcy, dissipation, etc. (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 112, with, woth; Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 17; ne.Sc. 1974, (aa) worth). [(ɑ:) wʌrθ, wʌθ]Sc. 1808 Jam.:
He's gane aw with, he's gone all to wreck: i.e. every thing is gone against him.Ags. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
Efter the aivrins are ripe, they gae wuth in a day.Bnff.⁹ 1927:
He's gane a worth wi' drink. His horse's gane aworth wi' 'im.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xvii., xxiii.:
The aal piper grew forfochen an' his breath gaed wuth . . . Fat gait Shuse didna gae wurth upo ye a' that lang rodd.