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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AFT, adv. and (rarely) adj. Compar. after, superl. aftest (both rare). [ɑft Sc., aft I.Sc.] Gen.Sc.; arch. and poetical, but rather less so than St.Eng. oft.

1. adv. Oft, often.Sc. 1737 A. Ramsay Proverbs (1776):
Aft ettle, whiles hit.Sh.(D) 1899 Sh. News 26 Aug.:
Crappin heads an young tatties is a supper 'at wid be better fir da young an' auld baith, if dey wid hae it after.Sh.(D) 1916 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr Dezember 29:
Whin patience aandooes at da bouw, da haal is for aftest heavy. [for aftest, Sh. idiom, aftest = quasi-noun.]Bnff. 1887 W. M. Philip Covedale 151:
Ah! div ye nae mind how aft he has clappit you on the heid . . . and gied you sweeties and bawbees?Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 5:
It's nae wonder, tho' I aft gae wrang.Abd. 1917 C. Murray A Sough o' War, Fae France 28:
Owre aft oor pig gaed to the wall.Lnl. 1864 J. C. Shairp Kilmahoe, etc., The Hairst Rig 176:
At twal' hours aft we sat aloof, Aneth the bielding stook.Gsw. 1859 J. Young in Recent Sc. Poets (ed. Murdoch 1881) ii. 200:
Frae schule Jock's aft heen lickit hame to wash his dirty face.Ayr. 1792 Burns Banks o' Doon ii.:
Aft hae I rov'd by bonie Doon.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons, Spring 49:
Now Brawny aft' wad leave the craft.Dmf. 1777 J. Mayne Siller Gun (1808) 39:
Pleas'd, they recount, wi' meikle joy, How aft they've been at sic a ploy.

2. adj. Frequent.Dmf. 1868 Salmon Gowodean 12:
Wi' empty kite and dirdums aft and dour.