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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FRONT, n., v. Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. Used ellipt. for “front garden” (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif., Edb., Ayr. 1953).ne.Sc. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 129:
The gudeman wud be oot takin' a turn an' a smoke in the front afore brakfast.

2. In phr. and combs.: (1) front-breist, the front seat in the gallery of a church (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; ne.Sc. 1943). Cf. Fore-breist; (2) front-door flat (house), a ground-floor flat (house) with direct access to the street (Slg.3 1943); (3) fronthandie, a variety of the game of Knifie (see quot.); (4) frontyways, also frontieweys. With the front end first. (5) in front of, of time: before, prior to (Sh., ne.Sc., Fif. 1953).(1) Abd. 1903 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 123:
The gallery, where in the “front-breist” sat a farmer's daughter.
Bnff. 1908 Banffshire Jnl. (17 Nov.) 5:
A sturdy Whitehills fisherman, who was seated on the “front breest of the laft.”
(2) Gsw. 1913 F. Niven Ellen Adair i.:
All the way along the street there was a regular alternation of “front-door house” and “close door.”
(3) Sc. 1951 Sunday Post (12 Aug.):
There is “Fronthandie,” in which you throw the knife into the air from the palm of your open hand so that it turns over a few times, then sticks in the ground.
(4)Gsw. 1988 Michael Munro The Patter Another Blast 25:
frontyways On the model of sideyways, this means front end first: 'Try it sideyways, an if it isny gauny go, take it frontyways.'
Edb. 2005:
He drove intae the wa frontieweys.
(5) Abd. 1904 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (23 Jan.):
Ye'll hardly mind, maybe, on the tenant wha wis here in front of me.

II. v. Of meat: to swell in boiling (Ags. 1808 Jam.). Also in Eng. dial.

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"Front n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/front>

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