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.
Quotation dates: 1712-1720, 1785-1951
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SPAVIE, n., v. Also spavy (Mry. 1904 E.D.D.), spaivy, speavie, spyevy (Sh. 1904 E.D.D.), spawwee, speeve-. [′spe:vi]
I. n. The spavin in horses (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., speavie; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 267; Ork., Bnff., Per., Kcb. 1971), freq. with def. art. Also jocularly applied to human beings, implying some rheumatic affection, and in nonce usage as an adj., spavined. Comb. spavy-fitted.Sc. 1712 Fountainhall Decisions (1761) II. 710:
The horse he had bought was affected with the ringbone and spaivy.Ayr. 1787 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 112:
When ance her ringbanes and spavies, are fairly soupl'd.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 284:
Dominie Davie, wha's fash'd wi' the spavie.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 71:
I had to gie the spavy-fitted body that wrote it a guinea note.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 81:
When ye're daunerin' doon life's brae, May ye ne'er tak' the spavie.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 244:
Dey hed a rigged strik i' da hill, Bit shü hed da spawwec [sic].Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 4:
He's akinda foondered afore, an' a little spavie i' the aft hent leg.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man xxxi.:
We'll gie his loons the spavie sune.e.Lth. 1896 J. Lumsden Battles 22:
Limping wi' spavie, weeds, an' racks.Fif. 1929 St Andrews Cit. (9 Feb.) 9:
Clean dune wi' spavie.
II. v. 1. In ppl.adj. spav(i)ed, -t, afflicted with spavin, lit. and fig.Lnl. 1720 Binns Papers (S.R.S.) II. 109:
One old white speeved horse.Ayr. 1785 Burns Ep. to Davie xi.:
My spavet Pegasus will limp.Ags. 1818 G. Beattie Poems (1882) 179:
A limpin' spaviet bruikit wicht.Peb. 1832 R. D. C. Brown Hist. Dramas V. 29:
Crummie cuits, Concealed, or spavi'ed joints.Arg. 1836 R. Allan Poems 4:
The debauchee, wha lang hath run The errands of the devil, Worn out, and spavied.Lnk. 1951 G. Rae Howe o' Braefoot 98:
Ca' ye twae spavied hin' legs guid action?
2. To walk as if afflicted with spavin.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poetry II. 69:
He spavy'd back and fore the room.
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"Spavie n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/spavie>
