Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

MACHINE, n.

Sc. usages: a horse-drawn passenger vehicle, a brake, a trap or small carriage. Gen.Sc., obsol. Obs. in Eng. since early 19th c. Used occas. of a motor car (Cai., Abd., Lnl., Kcb. 1962).Sc. 1865 A. Smith Summer in Skye I. 86:
You can post, if you like: I'll provide you with a machine and horses.Abd. 1882 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 107:
His “machine”, as Sandy termed the gig, became familiarly known.Sh. 1883 J. R. Tudor Ork. and Sh. 471:
Till last year your only chance of getting to Dunrossness, other than by machine or walking, was by waiting for the smack, which sails down at very irregular intervals.e.Lth. 1885 J. Lumsden Rhymes and Sk. 134:
The coachmakers were overwhelmed with “orders”, for every cultivator of a kail-yaird was proudly going in for a gig, or a “machine” even.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 182:
A close machine, hurrying up from Ayr, vomits oot the Bishop.Abd. 1911 G.N.S.R. Tourist Guide 305:
Close and Open Machines suitable for Marriage and Picnic sent anywhere with good horses and careful drivers.Ags. 1953 Forfar Dispatch (3 Dec.):
To save him turnin the big car, I garred him gae ower the roadie atween the bogs . . . That's the first time I ever fand it slower tae hurl in a machine than tae bike.