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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ANCIENT, AUNCIENT, Auntient, Anshint, Anshent, Encient, adj. In St. Eng. senses, and in others given below (B. 1 and 2). Compar. a(u)ncienter, superl. a(u)ncientest. [′ɑnʃənt]

A. Examples of Sc. forms (in the ordinary sense).Sc. 1818 S. Ferrier Marriage I. v.:
It's melancholy . . . that a fine auntient race like ours should be dying away for want of male heirs.Sh.(D) 1891 Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 93:
Da Tory gabs o anshint richts.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 9:
Eftir an eident howkin o the yird,
the Reverend Tumshie offert up a prayer,
ower bruckle auncient banes set lair on lair,Fif. 1872 Mrs G. Cupples Tappy's Chicks 65:
The very butcher said “. . . he had killed scores in his lifetime, but an auncienter never.”Fif. 1998 Tom Hubbard Isolde's Luve-Daith 3:
Sae I come greetin ower your braken corp
An haud it gentlie gin this staunin-stane
Auncient an roch as wis your Governal,Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 81:
That's the Black Water o' Dee, the graunest an auncientest water in Gallawa!Uls.(D) 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings by Robin 61:
Getherin' up a' the auld anshent things they can get a haud o'.

B. Other senses.

1. Of children: old-fashioned, precocious, having the ways or intelligence of a grown-up person. (Also in Eng. dial.) Gen.Sc.Bnff.² 1931:
She sits a' day at the fireside, peer thing, an' her anshent facie wid gar ye greet.Lnk. 1881 A. Wardrop Poems, etc. 98:
There's oor wee Johnnie wi' his pipe, An' oor wee Nellie cryin' dinna; But yet he'll do't, the ancient snipe, While she'll mask tea in her wee tinnie.

2. Cunning.Bnff.² 1931:
Ye winna che't me; I'm as aul's ye're anshent (proverbial phrase).Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn. 2:
Anncient, Encient, adj., cunning, knowing: “A sea-gull's a very anncient bird.”

C. Comb.: Anshent-lookin, old-fashioned, out of date.Bnff.² 1931:
I thinkna muckle o' yir saw 'at ye're blawin' aboot; it's a gey anshent-lookin tool.