Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CLIFTIE, CLIFTY, adj. and n. [′klɪftɪ̢]
†1. adj.
(1) “Clever, fleet; applied to a horse of a light make that has good action” (Slk. 1825 Jam.2).
(2) “Applied to fuel, which is easily kindled and burns briskly” (Clydes. Ib.). Hence cliftiness, n., “the quality of being easily kindled, including that of burning brightly” (Ib.).
(3) Of persons: active in body or mind, quick, smart, nimble. Also in n.Eng. dial.Clc. 1889 F. Barnard Chirps frae Engine Lum 151:
Ye hae hobbled wi' an unco bab, An's no sae clifty.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 277:
His children clifty for to make the money.Rxb. 1847 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 2) VII. 127:
The Ettrick poet, he cam' owre, A clifty, clever chiel, man.
2. n.
(1) “A name for a horse” (Kcb.11930).
(2) “A willing and ready payer — a generous person” (Kcb.4 c.1900).
[E.M.E. has clifty = “fertilis,” 1570 (N.E.D.). Cf. M.L.Ger. kluftich, clever, Mid.Du. cluchtich, capable, skilful, sprightly, abundant (Franck), whence Dan. dial. køftig, Nor. dial. and Sw. klyftig, clever (Falk and Torp). Perhaps from the same root as Eng. cleave, to divide, in the sense of “discriminate”; cf. skill, from O.N. skil, discernment, from skilja, to separate.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Cliftie adj., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cliftie>
