Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DEARTH, Deart, Daart, n., v. [derθ; dirθ (Lnk.¹⁰); dɑ:rt I.Sc.]

1. n. Dearness, high prices (Bnff.², Abd.² 1940). Obs. in Eng.Lnk. 1808 W. Watson Poems 65:
To sigh about the dearth o' meal, An' down come o' the stock.Lnk.¹⁰ 1927:
John Tamson had a shop at toun fit but fair killed himsel wi' dearth.

Hence †dearthfu', costly, expensive.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems II. 96:
To find out Wit or Mirth by clashing O'er dearthfu' Wine.Ayr. 1786 Burns Sc. Drink xvi.:
It sets you ill, Wi' bitter, dearthfu' wines to mell, Or foreign gill.

†2. v. To raise the price of anything, to cause a scarcity of or in anything (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., daart; Ork. 1825 Jam.², deart, dearth). Obs. in Eng. since 16th cent.Bnff. 1743 Ann. Bnff. (S.C.) I. 153:
Thomas Murray having dearthed the flesh mercat by buying up some pork.