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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.

SMUITH, adj., n. Also smeuth (Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 53); smuid (Sh. 1964 Nordern Lichts 8); †smeth (wm.Sc. 1825 Jam.); smeeth (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Abd. 1931 D. Campbell Uncle Andie 21), and reduced form smee (see II.). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. smooth (Sc. 1812 The Scotchman 10; Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. v. 173; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson). Hence smeethly, smoothly (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 49), smeethness, smoothness (Cld. 1825 Jam.). [m.Sc. smø:ð, sme:ð; Rs., Mry. smju:ð; Bnff., Abd., Kcd. ‡smi:ð; see P.L.D. §§ 35, 86, 93.1, 96.1, 142(2), 128.]

I. adj.

Sc. forms of Eng. smooth.m.Sc. 1996 John Murray Aspen 4:
yonder a riven cage o marrieless ribs,
the braith caad fae't
or a femur enn dichtit smuith
bi the lang stravaigin streed
o the baggie breikit beist.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 86:
Ilkie noo an again, he luikit up, his een reengin ower the smeeth sea, an skelloched, "Zeffirino! Far are ye?"m.Sc. 1998 William Neill in Neil R. MacCallum Lallans 51 17:
An ye growe smuith an creeshie in yir carcase
an aye growe fatter wi yir baws for brains
while I maun tyauve ti keep fleish on ma banes
an hae ti shift ma airse ti whaur the wirk is.

Sc. usages:

Sc. combs. and phr.: 1. smooth heuk, a sickle with a plain non-serrated blade; 2. smooth sides, the long-finned gurnard, Trigla obscura (Sc. 1905 A. R. Forbes Gaelic Names 366, 1930 Fishery Board Gl.); 3. smeeth in the mou, of a horse: “that has lost mark of mouth” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.), of uncertain age, no longer showing its age by the state of its teeth.1. Per. 1903 H. Dryerre Blairgowrie 312:
He has seen the “teeth heuk,” the “smooth heuk,” the scythe, the reaper, and the binder supplant each other in turn.

II. n. A smooth or level place, specif. applied to the sandy sea-bottom (Rs., Mry., Kcd. 1911; Mry. 1930). Also in reduced form smee (Id.).