Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825-1832, 1923
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†CUDE, CUID(E), Coo'd, Kued, Keude, Cuit, adj. and n.2 Given by Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923) as obsol. or obs.
1. adj.
(1) “Harebrained, appearing as one deranged” (Border 1808 Jam., cude, cuide; 1825 Jam.2, coo'd); “frolicsome” (Watson, †cude, ‡cuit).Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
“Cuid Yiddy o' Soanie” (= daft Adam of Swinnie).Slk. 1832 Hogg Queer Book 56:
My father was daft, my mother was keude.
(2) “Stupid” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., ‡cuid, †cuide).Rxb. 1825 Jam.2 s.v. custril:
Tak 'im to the loupin-on stane. Does the kued custril trow I can hechil aff the bare yird o'er a' thae walise?
2. n. “A stupid person” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., cuid).
[O.Sc. has coyd, harebrained, a.1585 (D.O.S.T.). Origin obscure.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Cude adj., n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cude_adj_n2>
