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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.

MELT, n., v.¹ Also dim. miltie. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. milt.

I. n. 1. The spleen of an animal (Rxb. 1801 J. Leyden Compl. Scot. Gl. 355; Sc. 1825 Jam.; Mry.¹ 1925; Abd. 1962). Also of a person. Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 45:
melt To get into someone's melt is to attack him, beat him up. This seems to derive from the Scots use of melt to mean spleen and is therefore an admirably precise and graphic phrase, anatomically speaking.

Hence combs. and phr.: (1) milt-hole, of human beings or animals: “the space between the ribs and the pelvis” (Cld. 1825 Jam.); (2) miltie-pain, a pain in the side (Sh. 1957); (3) milt-token, a method of weather prognostication (see quot.); (4) to knock one's melt out, to exhaust oneself (w.Lth. 1962).(3) Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 117:
It is called the milt token, and is said to have been practised in some parts of Shetland. When the first mert was killed about Hallowmas, the milt or spleen of the animal was taken out and laid on a board, and six cuts were made crosswise, equidistant from each other. These cuts were not quite through the milt, the under side being left whole. They were named — the first, November; the second, December; the third, January; and so on to April. The milt was now laid in a dark place for three days and three nights. It was then carefully examined, and if a cut had closed and presented a dry appearance, the month it represented was to be mild and dry; but if the cut was open and dry the month was supposed to be windy. An open and wet cut foretold wind and rain.

2. Of a male fish: the spawn or sperm (Sc. 1818 Sawers; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl., a.1908 Traynor (1953); Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 175). Gen.Sc.; the male fish when full of spawn (Sc. 1903 E.D.D.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), also melter, id. Cf. Eng. milter, id.Sc. 1766 Session Papers, Macdonald v. Gordon Pursuer's Proof 7:
The he-fish they carried off with them, and [he] has seen them often voiding the melt at their bellies.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. viii.:
They were no just common herring neither, being every ane melters, and sauted with uncommon care by the house keeper.Sc. 1825 T. D. Lauder Lochandhu iii.:
A mass of herring melts . . . had fallen into his hair.

3. The part of the surface of the body that lies over the spleen.Kcb. 1880 J. H. Maxwell Sheep-Marks 27:
HM burn on near horn, and burn across nose; HM buist on near melt; keel across kidneys.

‡4. The tongue, from similarity in shape (Fif. 1962).Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
Keep in your melt.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., obsol.:
Haud yer lang melt.m.Lth. 1935 Bulletin (27 Feb.) 25:
Open yer gubbie, ma wee lambie, an' let the man see yer melt.

5. Fig.: (1) a soft, stringy substance or tissue resembling the texture of the spleen (see quot.); (2) a soft languid person.(1) Fif. 1899 P. Phil. Soc. Gsw. XXXI. 40:
A dottle or melt is any stringy tenacious substance, as for example the debris of a boil or the membrane of diphtheria.(2) Clc., Ayr. 1915:
Ye're naethin' but a muckle melt.

II. v. Of human beings or animals: to fell with a blow on the side in the region of the spleen (Rxb. 1801 J. Leyden Compl. Scot. 355; Sc. 1808 Jam.;  Fif., Edb., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s); to thrash, wallop (Fif., wm.Sc. 1962). Also formerly current in Eng. pugilistic slang. Hence melter, fig. an animal of superlative excellence, a “stunner”, “smasher” (Dmf. 1957). Comb. meltinblow, the finishing stroke (Sc. 1818 Sawers).Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 36:
But I can teet an' hitch about, An' melt them 'ere they wit; An syne fan they're dung out o' breath They hae na maughts to hit. Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 45:
melt ... To melt someone is to hit him a hard blow: "Beat it or Ah'll melt ye wan." ... m.Sc. 1986 John McKenzie City Whitelight 22:
'Maybe Ah was a bit over-confident there myself,' Jackie said ruefully. 'If you saw me in the square, did ye see who melted me?' he asked suddenly, staring at the man. Edb. 2004:
Shut up or Ah'll melt ye! wm.Sc. 2004:
Awa or A'll melt ye!