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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.

TEET, v., n.¹ Also tete; †tit-. [tit]

I. v. To peep, peer, cast a sly, surreptitious or inquisitive look, to steal a glance (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1808 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 271; I., n.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1972). Also fig.Abd. 1767 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. I. 121:
She shortly chaps at her ain door; The bridegroom he teets through a bore.Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 185:
Stowlins teetin' wi' a wishfu' e'e.Abd. 1836 J. Leslie Willie & Meggie 13:
Fan ye teetit oot at the door.Mry. 1870 W. H. Tester Poems 77:
Tak tent hoo she teets roun the moo o' the close.Fif. 1866 G. Bruce Poems 67:
Syne up among the rashes teet To spy oot ill.Abd. 1931 D. Campbell Uncle Andie 21:
Leave the neck o't teetin' ower the edge o' yer motor.Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 25:
Yer shouthers, ribs, an' hunker-banes are teetin' throu' the skin.Sh. 1948 New Shetlander (Jan.-Feb.) 6:
Moose-moose-meeserie, Whar is du teetin?Bnff. 1968 Bnff. Advertiser (11 Jan.) 8:
Dinna ee come teetin' at oor windae again.

Combs.: 1. teet-about, tete-, a nickname for a prying person, a snooper; 2. teet-bo, tit-, tee-tee-, teetie(-y)-, (1) n., the game of peep-bo (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 106, 1808 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 271; Sh., n.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Lnk. Rxb., 1972). Also in reduplic. form tit-bo, tat-bo (Abd. 1825 Jam., obsol.). Also attrib. as an epithet = inconstant, untrustworthy, sly; (2) int. the exclamation in the game, peep-bo! (n.Sc. 1972, teetie-bo).1. Abd. 1842 Justiciary Reports (1844) 174:
The general cry was ‘go home, horse-coupers,' ‘Tete-about is no to be minister here.'2. Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 72:
But she maun e'en be glad to jook, An' play teet-bo frae nook to nook.Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 95:
By teetbo-friends, an' nae a few I've rough been guidit.Ags. 1831 Per. Advertiser (27 Jan.):
A whin haflin callants playin tit bo.Ags. 1892 A. Reid Howetoon 15:
Playin' at gey angry teetie-bo roond an' roond the gairden.Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 7:
Sae wifickie laid by her shank, An' played at teetie-bo.(2) Bnff. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 181:
John Grumphie, teet, teet bo' O willawins, where art thou, jo?Abd. 1923 J. Gray Stray Leaves No. vi. 2:
I see ye, tee-tee-bo! tee-tee-bo! Is'na he a braw lad, noo.

II. n. A shy peep, a sly, secretive glance (Sc. 1808 Jam.; I., n.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1972; Sh., Cai., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Edb. 2000s).Ags. 1819 A. Balfour Campbell I. 331:
I saw Eppie stealing a teet at him.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 9:
A' thing wis that secure that Auld Horny himsel' widna gotten a teet in.Cai. 1902 J. Horne Canny Countryside 229:
'E temptation till hev a teet.Abd. 1952 People's Jnl. (26 Jan.):
Visitors will be able to have a teet at the trout.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 21:
I wis a stranger chiel in a strange laan,
An ootlin wannert back by some mischance
To tak a teet at the place far he eest to be. Edb. 2004:
She'd a wee teet at the new lad an thocht he wis braw!