Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1885-1992
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MART, n.1 Also mairt. [mert]
As in ‡Eng., a market in gen.; specif. a building used for auctioning livestock, farm implements and produce; the periodical sales which take place in such a building. Gen.Sc. Attrib. in combs. mart day, -nicht. Phr. the Last Mairt, jocularly, the Day of Judgment. Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1885 Trans. Highl. and Agric. Soc. 86:
The habit of selling stock at auction marts has become very general.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 47:
Boot Mairtimas time aye clubbit thegither And bocht a bit heifer at ane o' the mairts.Ags. 1921 V. Jacob Bonnie Joann 37:
Wi' young stirks loupin' to the Mairt That roars in Forfar toon.Abd. 1928 P. Grey Making of a King 5:
They br'ak eence a week, on mart days.Gall. 1946 Scots Mag. (April) 9:
What time were ye thinkin' o' takin' the stirks tae the Mart the morn?Abd. 1958 Huntly Express (25 July):
A kibble horse Dobbin wis, an' fyles we tried a race Wi' the lave o' lads on mairt-nicht on the road.Kcd. 1960:
Ye'll get it back at the Last Mairt.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 42:
The lads f'ae the Mairt
wi sharn on their feet
birl aboot the howff sawins, ... Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 12:
There were three cows, and two stirks who were both well grown now and likely to fetch a good price at the mart in a few months' time.
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"Mart n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mart_n1>
