Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tat(t)y, -ie, adj. Also: tawty. [Tate n. or OE tættec a rag, tatter.]

1. Of hair, wool, etc.: Tangled, matted, shaggy. 1460 Hay Alex. 11429.
Thai war all nakit with hingand taty hare 1460 Hay Alex. 14572.
The mutonys … na woll beris … bot taty lokerand hare 1513 Doug. vii xi 63.
A felloun bustuus and gret lyon skyn, Terribill and roucht with taty lokkyrrand haris 1531 Bell. Boece I xlviii.
Certane beistis nocht far different fra the figure of schiep … the hair of thaim is lang and tattie, nothir like the woll of scheip nor gait 1533 Bell. Livy I 166/27.
The hare of his berde was lang and taty [B. tawty] 1611 Edinb. Test. XLVI 253.
Sex elne of tattie lane [= lawn] at xiij s. iiij d. the elne 1698 Kirkwood Plea before Kirk 122.
'Tis not possible for any man to make a good thread of such nasty, durty, tatty, tarry, hairy wool, as you have put into my hands

2. Of a gown: ? Tattered, ragged; ? made of shaggy material. 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 246.
The Dewill … with ane lang rumpill; cled in ane blak tatie goune