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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NAKIT, adj. Also nacked, nakket, -it, naikit, nekit, naeket; and ne.Sc. forms nya(a)kit, n(y)aukit (Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 126). See P.L.D. § 141.1. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. naked. [′nekət; ‡ne.Sc. + ′njɑ:kət]

1. As in Eng., lit. and fig. Gen.Sc.n.Sc. c.1730 E. Burt Letters (1815) I. 168:
Lord, I was nacked, and I hid mysel.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxviii.:
Half-nyaukit, stairv't creaturs.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 121:
A great lang nakit soord.Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (Navember 6):
Few folk tinks a naeket tröth daecent.Ags. 1927 V. Jacob Northern Lights 38:
The nakkit tree-taps sweep the sky.Bch. 1945 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 378:
The nyaakit ra'antree's gapin' for the snaw.

Phrs.: (1) one's naked bed, one's bed, orig. from the medieval practice of sleeping naked (Ayr., Uls. 1963). Obs. or arch. in Eng.; (2) the nakit truth, fig., undiluted spirits, pure whisky. Cf. 4.(1) Ayr. 1722 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (30 May) 120:
The said James after harvest Last was Lying in his naked bed.Sc. 1869 M. M. Brewster Life of Brewster 295:
Sir David [Brewster] exclaimed in unaffected horror, “What! go to your naked bed in the middle of the ocean?”Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock vii.:
If no aye in his nakit bed, for I fan' him ance mysel' snorin' upo' the flure.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders iii.:
Snoring in their naked beds.(2) Cld. 1880 Jam.:
Not uncommonly this term is employed to denote pure spirits, whiskey neat; as, “I'll jist tak the nakit truth.”

2. Fig., of persons or animals: thin, lean, emaciated (Ags., Per., Lth. 1963).

3. Of a horse: without its harness or trappings (Abd., Ags. 1963). Rare or obs. in Eng.

4. Of strong drink: undiluted, neat (Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MSS.; Fif., Wgt. 1963). Rare in Eng. Cf. phr. under 1.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xiii.:
I am drinking naked spirits.