Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1821-1960
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CAVE, Caeve, Kaeve, Kev(e), Kaive, n.3, v.1 Also obsolete variants ‡kave, ‡keave. [ke:v]
1. n.
(1) A toss of the head (Bnff.2 1939, kaive).Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
The bull ga'e a cave wi' its heid.
(2) A toss, hoist.Clc. 1862 D. Taylor Poems 31:
We'll see an' get seven great elephants sunk To gie't a most powerful keave up wi' their trunk.
(3) “A tossing of the fore legs; rearing. Followed by the preposition up, the act of rearing” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff., kaive).
2. v., tr. and intr.
(1) Often of a horse: to toss (the head) angrily or proudly (Sc. 1808 Jam., cave; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., obsol.). Known to Bnff.2 1939. Also fig.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 164–165:
Gallopin on a grey horse, that caves the foam frae its fiery nostrils.Sc. 1895 H. Ochiltree Redburn ii.:
Stan up, ye auld jade! What are ye caving at?Bnff. 1856 J. Collie Poems and Lyrics 68:
Auld Scotland then her head might kaive, An' prance like ony stagie. Bwk. 1960:
She caved her heid like a cat cairryin a saut herrin.
(2) “To stand on the hind legs and toss the fore legs; to rear” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 93). Not known to our correspondents.
(3) “To butt or strike (anything) with the head or horns” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); “to push, to drive backward and forward” (Sc. 1808 Jam., cave, keve). Not known to our correspondents.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Chron. of Aberbrothock vi.:
It'll caeve the heels oot alow ye.
(4) To toss, gen. of cattle: to toss the horns in a threatening way (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Bwk., Wgt. 1959); also fig., to threaten.Sc. 1821 Jacob. Relics (Hogg) 40:
Deil claw the traitors wi' a flail, That took the midden for their bail, And kiss'd the cow ahint the tail, That keav'd at kings themsel.Gall. a.1900 “Mulciber Veritatis” Gallowa' Herds 6:
The creest-leydit wratch wad ye kaved 'neath the hatch. That's lid to the sink o' perdition.
(5) fig. “To make a fuss” (Bch. 1916 T.S.D.C. II.).Bch. 1916 T.S.D.C. II.:
Fat are ye cavin' at?
(6) “To be overcome with weariness or sleepiness” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), kev).
(7) Followed by preps. (a) over, ower: “to fall over suddenly” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2; Ayr.4 1928), to faint; fig. “to give in” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., kev ower); (b) up: “to climb a steep precipice or wall” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 93).(a) Ork.(D) 1880 Dennison Orcad. Sk. Bk. 27:
Whin [lethy Hellness] geed oot wi' sic a din . . . the minister's wife kaevid ower (sheu was near her time, peur bothy).
(8) To toss in gen., pitch, throw (Fif. 1975). Fif. 1958:
E.g. of straw up to a man who is building on the top of a stack, "Cave it up here."
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"Cave n.3, v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cave_n3_v1>
