Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

TURBOT, n. Also turbet, -it. A name commonly given in Scot. (and n.Eng. dial.) to the halibut, Hippoglossus vulgaris (Lth. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. 1838 Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club (1885) 174; Ork. 1891 Buckley and Harvie-Brown Fauna-Ork. 284; Sh. 1899 Evans and Buckley Fauna Sh. 228; e.Sc. 1903 G. Sim Fauna “Dee” 243; ne., e.Sc. 1930 Fishery Board Gl.), “the proper turbot getting another name, that of raun-fleuk” (Lth. 1810 P. Neil Fishes 11).

Combs. turbot flouk, id. (Dmf. c.1700 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. (1901) 57), turbot reeklins, the flesh of halibut cut into strips and dried in peat smoke (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.). See Reek, v., 4. (2).Ags. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XVI. 171:
Hollybot, here called turbot.Sh. 1883 J. R. Tudor Ork. and Sh. 136:
Conger, skate, and halibut, which latter fish the Shetlanders call turbot.Sh. 1901 Shetland News (18 May):
He wid a been awfu' blied til a hed wis a cut or twa o' turbit.