Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

BET, v.² and n. See Bait, n.² and Bait, v.⁴ [be:t, be:^ət]

1. v. (See quot.)Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Bet, prop. to get to bite; let bite, esp.: to set a dog on the sheep; drive sheep with the help of a dog, to b[et] de sheep; to b[et] de tun wi' de dog, to drive the sheep away from the home-field (de tun) with the help of a dog. [O.N. beita, to set on, to hunt, to let graze.]

2. n. Lit. something to bite, as of grass given to a cow; also pasture and seed potatoes (Jak.).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Gi'e de coo a b[et].