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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1768-1779, 1965

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HEARY, He(a)rie, Heery, n. An expression of endearment used by married couples to each other, equivalent to “my dear”; “still used by some old women” (Sc. 1808 Jam.); also employed when addressing a female inferior (Dmf. 1825 Jam., heery).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 14:
My father first did at my mither speer, Heary, is Nory fifteen out the year? [Ib. 109, hearie.]
Abd. 1768 Alexander Ross Helenore 113:
Say Calon then, Come heary gees a sang,
An' let's be hearty wi' the blythsome thrang.
Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 13:
An wha think ye guidman? . . . A what wat I herie, an she please hersel, am pleas'd already.
m.Lth. 1965:
Pass the salt, my heary.

[Phs. orig. for hear ye, used parenthetically in familiar conversation, and later treated as a noun in the dim. form, implying affectionate address.]

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"Heary n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/heary>

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