Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1880-1920
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CHAY, int. (See quots.) [tʃe:]Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
Chay-chay, chay, lady, said to cows to call them or quiet them.Uls. 1910 C. C. Russell People and Lang. of Uls. 37:
“Chay” . . . is a word of endearment applied to a cow. As you approach, you say “chay, lady” to calm or “quaten” her.Uls. c.1920 J. Logan Ulster in the X-Rays (2nd ed.) vi.:
“Chay” . . . is often uttered when a person approaches a cow to catch her, or in the case of a dog which looks rather threatening.
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"Chay interj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/chay>
