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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TACKET, n.¹, v. Also tackad (Cai. 1905 E.D.D.), tackit, taket. [′tɑkət]

I. n. 1. A small nail, esp. a hob-nail used to stud the soles of shoes (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc. Now dial. in Eng. Phr. afore ye could chat a tacket, = Eng. “before you could say Jack Robinson.” See Chat. v.¹Sc. 1702 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 305:
For tackets . . . 4s.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 123:
Wi' waefu' tackets i' the soals O' brogs.Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' 4:
They set about their heels wi' rails O' clinkin tackets.Ayr. 1789 Burns Capt. Grose's Peregr. vi.:
Rusty airn-caps and jinglin jackets, Wad haud the Lothians three in tackets.Fif. 1812 W. Tennant Anster Fair 37:
Her clowns with cobbl'd shoon stuck full of iron tackets.Gsw. 1884 H. Johnston Martha Spreull 100:
Young as he wis, he could last, inseam, and ca' in tackets.Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 29:
As thick's the tackets n'ar In my new buits!Ags. 1929 Scots Mag. (April) 74:
It was grand to wear the new suit and the buits without tackits.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xvii.:
Afore ye cud chat a tacket 'ey war a' i' the thick o't.

Deriv. tacket(t)ie, -y, tackity, takketie, (1) adj. studded with tackets, hob-nailed (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 188). Gen.Sc. Hence tackety jock, a shoemaker's last (Slg., Fif., Lth., Lnk., Ayr. 1972); tackety-shoed, wearing studded shoes; (2) n., a nickname for a native of Maybole in Ayrshire where boots were manufactured (Ayr. 1972).(1) Ags. 1860 A. Whamond James Tacket xviii.:
The top of his great tackety boots.Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 18:
The prent o' the muckle tackettie shee sole.Fif. 1897 D. Pryde Queer Folk 244:
Chubby-faced, tackety-shoed jockies.Slk. 1928 Border Mag. (Aug.) 118:
Keepin' time wi' oor tacketty buits on the flag floor o' the kitchen.Fif. 1933 W. Muir Mrs Ritchie xvi.:
Their dirty, tackety boots.Fif. 1950 People's Jnl. (1 April):
The day I went to buy a tackety jock.Gsw. 1993 Margaret Sinclair Soor Plooms and Candy Balls 15:
They didnae seem to realize that ah hid tackety boots
They were so very heavy ah thought they'd taken root.
I had nae fancy sannies tae help me ower the wa',
But Mammy says its tackety boots for me or nae shoes at aw. Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 34:
An awbodie kens in his wey
the mukkil takketie buit that stramps
on the frichtent face foraye. wm.Sc. 1995 Alan Warner Morvern Callar 58:
The Hiphearan's only way of getting money, apart from signing on, was leaping off the railway pier in High Season wearing his tackity boots, if the young holiday makers would pay him a fiver. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 4:
"Dammit tae Hell, I kent yon wad happen!" the fairmer banned, kinnlin anither fag an tossin the deid spunk doon in the strae fleer o the park tae crush it aneth the tacketty buits he ay wore day in, day oot. Sc. 2000 Herald 29 Feb 17:
The interesting point is how and why Scots hit on such a simple but brilliant invention as the bank note. It arose from the same factors as haggis or tackety boots, which is to say, from indigence and thrift.

2. Combs.: (1) tacket-boot, a hob-nailed boot (Sh., Ags. 1972); (2) tacket-ma(c)ker, one who makes hob-nails; (3) tacket-soled, studded with hob-nails; (4) whisk(e)y tacket, see Whisky.(1) Sc. 1897 L. Keith Bonnie Lady xvi.:
Wearing his strongest tacket boots.(2) Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 148:
Tacket-makers, tree trimmers, and male taylors.Abd. 1884 D. Grant Keckleton 63:
The tackit mackers, workin' nicht an' day, can barely supply the deman' for tackits.(3) Sc. 1896 L. Keith Indian Uncle xvii.:
The tacket-soled boots that gave his quarry the advantage.

II. v. To drive tackets into boots, etc., to fasten with tackets (Bnff. 1866 D. Bnff. 188; Sc. 1880 Jam.). Hence ppl.adj. tacketed, tacketit, filled with tackets, hob-nailed (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 188). Gen.Sc.Bwk. 1859 P. Landreth J. Spindle (1911) 10:
He made gude shoon an' tackettet them extraordinar' well.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 183:
A living torrent of Eerish and tacketed vulgarity.Fif. 1896 G. Setoun R. Urquhart i.:
Thick-soled blucher boots tacketed for rough roads.Abd. 1903 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 102:
When he sent any of his family with his boots to get “tacketed.”