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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

YITE, n. Also yoit; yout, yowt (Fif.). Dim. yitie. [jəit; sm.Sc. jɔit]

1. Very freq. prefixed by yella: the yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella (Sc. 1808 Jam., s.v. Yeldring; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 496; Slg. 1885 Trans. Slg. Nat. Hist. Soc. 62; ne.Sc. 1903 G. Sim Fauna of “Dee” 101; Uls. 1907 Northern Whig (30 Nov.), yoit; Per., Fif. (yowt), Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen. (exc. I.) Sc.m.Lth. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 104:
Herryin' linties, yites an' kays.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 227:
I never dream o' yites, but I meet auld frien's.Ags. 1834 A. Smart Rambling Rhymes 111:
Buntlin' wi' the tuneless beak Or ill-starred yellow-yite.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin v.:
We set aff to the Whunny Muir to seek youts' nests.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Cleg Kelly iv.:
Tried for his life on the charge of murdering a yellow yoit.Uls. 1900 T. Given Poems 141:
Yoit, an' wren an' wee whun grays.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xx.:
The wae wee chirrup of the yellow-yite.Abd. 1945 Scots Mag. (May) 138:
A yalla-yitie quietens the warld's steer.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 3:
Belle cud nae mair hae thocht o breedin wi an ootlinn or an incomer than a soo wad breed wi a yitie.

2. A person of small stature (Slg., Ayr. 1921 T.S.D.C.; Per., Fif., Lth., Lnk., Ayr., Wgt. 1974), also as a gen. term of contempt.Lnk. 1887 A. Wardrop Midcauther Fair 10, 237:
What richt had she — the guid-for-naethin' yite On ane sae far aboon her vent her spite? . . . The infernal lookin' yite.

3. Nonce usage: an egg.Edb. 1905 J. Lumsden Croonings 174:
Fowre new-laid yites frae “Farmer Mac.”