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).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPEED, n. Also spede (Sc. 1825 Jam.), speid (ne.Sc. 1836 J. Grant Tales of the Glens 68), sped. Sc. forms and usages:

1. Phrs. (1) speed of foot, fleetness of movement, covering ground speedily on foot. Gen.Sc. Also attrib. and fig.; (2) to catch the speed, see quot.(1) Sc. 1771 Weekly Mag. (22 Aug.) 255:
He escaped in the Black Mount, by speed of foot.Inv. 1830 Perthshire Advert. (8 April):
The flock is tended by “speed o' foot” shepherds.Abd.¹ 1930:
In's hurry tae tak' the warl' by speed o' fit.(2) Abd. 1877 W. Alexander Rural Life 198:
Happy was he who, when some sturdy male fairy took a bout at thrashing in his barn floor of an early winter morning, could creep quietly up behind, and, getting hold of the flail souple, “catch the speed!”

2. (1) Suceess, prosperity, good fortune (Uls. 1953 Traynor). Obs. or arch. in Eng. Hence speidfu', profitable, advantageous, expedient. Obs. in Eng.Ayr. 1786 Burns To Young Friend xi.:
In ploughman phrase, “God send you speed.”Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 51:
We wiss him speed, Till he unravel ilka quirk.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce I. iii.:
Is it speidfu' to bandy the name of that fallen spirit?Abd. 1851 N. & Q. IV. 380:
Rowan, ash, and red thread, Keep the devils frae their speed.Abd. 1899 G. Greig Logie o' Buchan xii.:
I wish ye a' speed and forder.

(2) in phrs. (i) to come (good, bad, etc.) speed, to be (more or less) successful (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Ork., ne. and em.Sc. 1971); (ii) to make speed, to make progress, to have success.(i) Inv. 1745 Trans. Gael. Soc. Inv. XIV. 28:
Lord Gordon is coming good speed in Raising men.Mry. 1753 Session Papers, Gordon v. Dunbar (4 July) 41:
Two different Quarriers who wrought in the said Quarry where they could come best Speed.Ayr. 1793 Burns Auld Rob Morris iii.:
A wooer like me maunna hope to come speed.Bwk. 1821 W. Sutherland Poems 21:
Your wily tongues and dear decoys May now come speed.Ags. 1857 “Inceptor” Tom of Wiseacre 64:
At our trade ye dinna come muckle speed wi' short nails.Gsw. 1889 J. Houston Autobiography 154:
At onything guid he ne'er cam' muckle speed.Per. 1897 C. M. Stuart Sandy Scott's Bible Class (1906) 46:
The first case we hae to decide we come nae speed.Arg. 1902 N. Munro Shoes of Fortune xv.:
You'll come little speed with a man from the Mearns moors.Mry. 1914 H. J. Warwick Tales 29:
He cam' better speed in this encounter.Abd. 1963 J. C. Milne Poems 82:
For a' his Buchan bark and bowff He cam' nae speed ava.(ii) Dmf. 1830 W. Bennet Traits Sc. Life II. 81:
I tauld him I had come to see about gettin' my ferm again, an' what speed I had made.

3. A state of excitement, a state of anger, a quarrel, also comb. hehd-speed, a state of great agitation. Cf. Heid, adj. Phr. to come to or til a speed.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 176:
A cam' t' nae speed wee 'im. He cam' till a speed.