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.

†OLITE, adj. Also olight, oleit, oleid; oltath, olloch; ¶aavlit (Abd. c.1930); evel(e)it.

1. Active, energetic, nimble (Sc. 1808 Jam.).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 22:
An olight Mother makes a sweir Daughter. Because she does the Work herself, and does not set her Daughter about it, whereby she contracts a Habit of Laziness.Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 29:
Hae lad, rin lad, that makes an olite lad.Sc. 1812 The Scotchman 85:
It's the eydent an olite nature o ill to work out its ain amendment.

2. Eager, ready, willing, cheerful, sprightly (Per. (ollath), Fif. (oleid), Ayr. (evel(e)it), Cld., Gall. 1825 Jam.; Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 157, olloch).Sc.(E) 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xxiii.:
Gin ye're no oleit the day, hoo wull ye be eveleit the morn?”

¶3. Handsome (Ayr. 1825 Jam., eveteit), phs. erroneous.