Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825-1866
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
SPLAY, n.1, v.1 Also splae.
I. n. †1. A squabble, quarrel.Rxb. 1825 Jam.:
There was a great splay at the fair.
‡2. A stroke, slap (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971).Rxb. 1825 Jam.:
She hat him a splae o'er the fingers.
3. Comb. splay-up, (1) a quarrel (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 177); (2) a great display, ostentatious show, a "to-do."(2) Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 177:
We wir at a grand splay-up o' a dainner.
II. v. 1. To flay, skin.Slk. 1825 Jam.:
He has splayed the skin off his leg.
2. With on: to work vigorously (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Lth., Rxb. 1971).
[Extended usages of Eng. splay, to spread out, expand, aphetic form of display.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Splay n.1, v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/splay_n1_v1>
