Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LITTER, n., v. Also letter (Abd. 1795 Session Papers, Leslie v. Fraser (29 March 1805) 276). Sc. usages:

I. n. A largish roughly-dressed stone suitable for ashlar building (Abd. 1961). See 1811 quot. in combs.Abd. 1949 W. Diack Granite Industry 31:
There were still traces of the old winding roadway up which the “junks,” “half ware” and “litters” were carted.

Combs.: 1. litter-stane, id.; 2. litter-tree, a wooden framework on which heavy objects might be carried by two bearers, a kind of hand-barrow.1. Abd. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VI. 38:
4 quarries; from whence are exported, annually, upwards of 45,000 square feet of litter stones … Masons who dress litter stones receive 2d. the square foot.Abd. 1811 G. Keith Agric. Abd. 57:
A stone shaped into the form of a brick, about 2 ft. in length, and one foot in depth and length. The stones are called litter stones because, before the roads were formed, they used to be carried in a litter to the builders.2. Sc. 1873 Trans. Highl. Soc. 308:
Currachs or creels and litter-trees were used, and loads of all kinds were carried on horseback.

II. v. To transport on a litter or hand-barrow. Obs. in Eng.Ags. 1767 Glamis Estate Papers MSS.:
The cost of having a march stone “quarried, hewen and lettered” was 12d per stone.