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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DAUT, DAWT, Daat, Daute, v., n. [dɑ:t Sc., but m.Sc. + dǫt]

1. v.

(1) To pet, fondle, caress, make much of (Cai.⁹ 1946; Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Fif.¹, Lnk.³ 1940); ppl.adj. dauted, dawted, etc., treasured, petted, fondled (Mry.¹ 1925, dautit); spoilt. Also found in n.Cy. and Cum. dial. (E.D.D.).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (1800) I. 74:
Of Bennet, his much-dauted son.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs 15:
Dawted Bairns dow bear little.Abd.² 1946:
The fond fader, takin' his bonnie bairnie in his airms, dautit her and diddled her upon his knee.Abd. 1991 Douglas Kynoch in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 87:
Twas aye afore her lads, dumfoonert at it aa,
The prood an sonsie jaud wad daat on's maist ava.
The times my face has felt the smoorichs o her moo!Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 16:
an' tho it maun be saired by ither words
gin they hinna the lear they're but dautit cage-birds
freed tae fend wi the sanshach craws
that ken the wun's airt afore it blaws. m.Sc. 1986 William Montgomerie in Joy Hendry Chapman 46 10:
"And a sting
Mr Slater!
Gin ye like yer laddie lick him
gin ye hate him daut an straik him"
"D'ye cairry the auld tawse
in yer coat-tail
Heidmaister? ... " Fif. 1894 J. W. M'Laren Tibbie and Tam 35:
Ay, Rabbie, auld Scotland weel may daut ye.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems, etc. I. 7:
Nae wonder then that I wad dawt My bonny, eident, wordy cat.Ayr. c.1785 Burns Poet's Welcome (Cent. ed.) vi.:
Fatherly I kiss and daut thee.Dmf. 1861 R. Quinn Heather Lintie 119:
I maun henceforth aye possess ye, Sae as tae guide, dawt, and caress ye, Source o' my joy.

(2) With wi': to play affectionately with.Dmf. 1810 R. H. Cromek Rem. Nithsd. and Gall. Song 50:
To smile wi' his wife and to daute wi' his weans.

(3) To stroke (Bnff.² 1940).Abd. 1887 W. Carnie Waifs of Rhyme 11:
Ye mauna grip me roun' the waist, Ye needna dawt my broo.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 84:
The preacher smiled to see their glee, An' took the youngest on his knee, An', dautin' doun its touzie pow, Wish'd blessin's on its life enou'.

2. n.

(1) A caress.Bnff.(D) 1927 E. S. Rae Hansel fae Hame 44:
O' dunts and dauts they've had their share.Edb. 1811 H. Macneill Bygane Times 18:
It's no by lecturing, nor preaching, Wives gain their ends — but dauts and fleeching.Peb. 1793 R. Brown Comic Poems (1817) 169:
Frae'neath his bonnet, girdle braid, Wi' draughty dawts and deep Coaxed out hid thoughts.

(2) A darling (Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicholson in County of Cai. 70, daat; Cai.⁹ 1946). See also Dautie, below.Bnff.⁹ c.1928:
An auld man's dawt.