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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†SEY, v., n.¹ Also say(e), sye. Sc. forms and usages, chiefly liter., of Eng. †say, (to) try, essay, attempt.

I. v. 1. tr., with direct obj. or infin.: to try, attempt, essay.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems (1876) II. 95:
I sey'd anes to cast aff my coat.Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 179:
Afore scho sey ane other flychte.Edb. 1835 R. Gilfillan Songs 187:
My Lowland pipe I seyed to play.Ags. 1851 R. P. Gillies Memoirs I. 37:
Noo, Wullie, man, I think I'll sey the Cairn [o' Mount].Edb. 1905 J. Lumsden Croonings 83:
I'm clear, an' free To sey the promise gi'en to thee.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 12:
He sey'd to souff a tüne, atweel.

2. tr. To try out, make trial of, test.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. ii. iv.:
I at ewe-milking first sey'd my young skill.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 161:
Gif ye wad sey my pow'r An' pith this day.Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 28:
Ere I him to my shoulder got, My back-bane-links were sey'd.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems I. 101:
He seys his arm, he seys his blade.Per. 1817 A. Buchanan Rural Poetry 59:
Sweet stream! 'twas on thy rural banks That first I sey'd my youthful shanks.Knr. 1895 H. Haliburton Dunbar 74:
Uprise and sey thy wonted powr's.

II. n. 1. A trying out, a test, a putting to the proof. Deriv. seyal, id. (wm.Sc. 1788 E. Picken Poems Gl.), with -al from trial.Sc. 1813 The Scotchman 116:
Thair douseness is nae sey to them.

2. A trial- or test-piece, a specimen, sample, specif. of an object made and submitted by an entrant member of a trade incorporation as a proof of his competence in his particular trade (Sc. 1736 Burgh Rec. Slg. (B.R.S.) III. 235).Ags. 1720 A. J. Warden Burgh Laws Dundee (1872) 397:
Ane Intrant having made ane sufficient saye, which was approven of be William Petrie, present Deacon.Sc. 1733 P. Lindsay Interest Scot. 57:
The Publick can suffer little by his Admission without a Sey.Sc. 1825 Letters C. K. Sharpe (1888) II. 354:
I give you this as a sey of my pulpit eloquence.

Combs.: (1) sey-bag, a bag of merchandise chosen as a sample for inspection for accuracy of weight; (2) sey drink, a round of drinks paid for by an entrant to a trade when submitting his test-piece. See (4); (3) sayhand, a try-out, something done to test public feeling or reaction; (4) sey-piece, a test-piece, a specimen of one's skill submitted in applying for membership of an Incorporated Trade; also more gen., any sample; (5) say-shot, “an opportunity given, in play, of regaining all that one has lost” (Fif. 1825 Jam.); (6) sey-work, = (3).(1) Sc. 1759 Session Papers, Coutts Bros. v. Wilson (28 July) 42:
A Boll of Meal sealed up in a Bag, which is commonly called a Sey-bag, which, when weighed with the said Standard, exactly agree[s] with it.(2) Fif. 1703 St Andrews Baxter Bks. (Macadam 1902) 151:
Henry Tod, who payed of speaking drink eight pounds scotts, of sey drink fourtein pounds.(3) Sc. 1712 R. Wodrow Corresp. (1842) I. 362:
Upon the 29th, there was a soldier buried in the High Churchyard with the English service. This is the first say-hand.(4) Bnff. 1700 Trans. Bnff. Field Club (1903) 13:
Any that hath served ther prentiship within the toune and intends to make them self freman shall be oblidged to make ane sufficient sye piece of work.Sc. 1755 Session Papers, Incorp. Cordiners Gsw. v. Dunlop (23 Jan.) 6:
Every Intrant shall make a Piece of Work to testify his Skill and Ability in his Craft, commonly called a Sey-piece, by which the Corporation are to judge if he is qualified to become a Master Workman.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 176:
Whase pencil wrought its freaks at will On thee the sey-piece o' her skill.Abd. 1811 Garland Bon-Accord (1886) 39:
An' grant that for this “seypiece”, I May be a Burgess made.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 155:
By nature form'd each heart to thrill, Where she had proved her sey-piece skill!(6) Sc. 1710 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) I. 256:
As a say-work to try hou things would goe at the parliament.