Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hey, adv. [ME. hei(e, heiȝe, heȝ(e, OE. héaᵹe. Cf. He adv. and Hie adv.] High, highly, in position or in sound.(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 221 (E).
Perth … wes wallyt … With feile towris, rycht hey battaillyt Ib. xvii. 607.
A crane thai haiff gert dres wp hey a1400 Leg. S. v. 495.
Thocht the erne fle heyeste Ib. xv. 200.
Blyse ay-lestand [he] brukis nov Hey in hewine Ib. xxxiii. 780.
Thane gert he men … Hang hyre hey vpe be the hare c1420 Wynt. ii. 1339.
[To fly] Noucht tyll hey [C. to hye] … Na to law Ib. vii. 778.
Gret howssys … hey standand ?1438 Alex. ii. 7286.
Quhen Alexander … Saw the standart dressed hey(2) 1375 Barb. ii. 383 (E).
Till his folk he criyt hey Ib. vii. 191.
His man … fell in slep and rowtyt hey