Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1806-1834, 1894-1923
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FOREDOOR, n. Also †foor- (Rxb. 1715 in J. J. Vernon Hawick (1900) i. 11).
1. The front door of a house or other building (w.Sc. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Fif., Ayr. 1953). Obs. in Eng. since c.1760.Mry. 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 124:
Tho' by the fore-door locket in, The back had neither bar nor pin.Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 115:
The principal door by which the family and cattle entered, was named the fore door, and the other opposite, was called the yard door.Slk. 1824 Hogg Confessions (1874) 466:
Master, there's a gentleman at the fore-door wants a private word o' ye.Sc. 1834 G. R. Gleig Allan Breck III. vi.:
Didna Effie see him gie the mail bag into her hand just anent the fore-door yonder?Dmf. 1894 J. Cunninghame Broomieburn 46:
"If ye'll wait juist a meenute," he said, "till I open the fore door, I'll come back and help ye."Sh. 1897 Shetland News (15 May):
Der feet at da guttie o' da foredoor.
2. The front part of a box-cart, with a seat on top for the driver (Abd., Arg., Kcb. 1953). Cf. Forebreist, 2. (2).Abd. 1923 H. Beaton Benachie 31:
Geordy . . . set his shoulder to the fore-door, and by that means lifted the cart up.
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"Foredoor n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/foredoor>
