Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825, 1926-1928
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BACK-HALF, -HAUF, n. The worse or latter half of anything.Sc.(E) 1926 “H. M'Diarmid” Drunk Man . . . Thistle 34:
What forest worn to the backhauf's this, What Eden brocht doon to a beanswaup?Lnk. 1825 Jam.2:
Back-half. The worst half of anything. To be worn to the back-half, to be nearly worn out.Ayr.4 1928
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"Back-half n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/backhalf>
