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 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.

SCENT, n. Also sint. Sc. form and usage. [sɛnt, sɪnt]

1. As in Eng. Comb. scent-dog, a pointer. Deriv. ¶scentage, aroma (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.).Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders iii.:
Nosing them for myself like a scent-dog after birds.

2. A small quantity, drop or pinch of anything, a little (Slg., Lth., wm.Sc., Kcb. 1969, a wee sint tea).wm.Sc. 1839 Laird of Logan 131:
I tell't them, as in duty bound, all I kent and a wee scent mair.Sc. 1843 Crack aboot the Kirk 6:
If ye hadna some scent o' sense in ye.Lth. 1915 J. Fergus The Sodger 19:
It had ipecac an' squills intill't . . . An' a scent o' paregoric.wm.Sc. 1953 Bulletin (15 May):
The rhododendron, like the blaeberry on its native heath, likes a wee sint acid.Ayr. 2004:
Yer drain shud huv nae mair problems noo, hen - it wis jist a wee sint sile causin the bother.