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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SAW, n.², v.² Also saa. Sc. usages of Eng. saw (for wood):

I. n.

Sc. form of Eng. saw.Sh. 1994 Laureen Johnson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 164:
Hit wis a dead branch, nae doot aboot dat. Not a laef kind. Ruinin da laekly o me guid sycamore. I lowsed till him wi da saa.

In combs.: saw-eel, the butter-fish or gunnel, Pholis gunnellus, from its appearance and the serrations on its dorsal fin (e.Sc. 1887 Sc. Naturalist 8); saw-fish, the deal-fish, Trachypetrus arcticus (Mry. 1852 Zoologist X. 3460); saw-neb, the goosander, Mergus merganser, or the red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator, from its saw-like bill (Abd. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 163; Cai. 1911 John o' Groats Jnl. (26 May); n.Sc. 1930 S. Gordon Hill-Birds 169).

II. v. Vbl.n. sawin(g)s, sawdust (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Abd., Lnk. 1969). Comb. sa(w)sti(c) (k), -stock, a log of rough-hewn or undressed timber (Sh. 1969).Ork. 1718 H. Marwick Merchant Lairds (1936) I. 87:
He would have given more sastocks by one doz. which the ship could not take in, and the remainder of the dealls remaine undelivered to me as yett.Sh. 1742 Hjaltland Misc. (1937) II. 5:
A saw-stock for wood to the tables and forms etc., for said schoolhouse.Sc. 1857 D. Livingstone Travels 367:
It closely resembles wood sawings and on that account is named “wood-meal”.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (15 May):
Deil hair I care, if dy back wis as lang as a forty-fit sawstic.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 58:
Dere wis a muckle sastik flottin wi' clakes apon him.