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.

EITH-KENT, adj. comb. Also (a)eth-kent. Well known, easily recognisable. Usu. applied to animals which bear some distinguishing mark upon them either of colour or shape (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., (a)eth-kent; 1911 S.D.D., eith-; Sh.¹⁰ 1950). See also Aithken.Sh. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. vii. 267:
Eth-kent is still a common word in use here. . . . “He's ethkent” — he is readily and universally recognised by unique marks.Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 107–108:
In our older times . . . it was a common custom for persons to bind themselves to some special purpose by solemn oath. Any person so bound . . . wore a device, or peculiar dress, or mark, which proclaimed him “vowed”; and such individuals were known amongst us as “the eth-kent”.