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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FAE, n. Sc. form of Eng. foe. See P.L.D. § 32.2. Now only poet.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 150:
What my detracting faes have said.Ayr. 1787 Burns T. Samson's Elegy vii.:
Ye maukins, cock your fud fu' braw . . . Your mortal fae is now awa.Edb. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xlii.:
Montgomery, and Ferguson, and mony ane mair that were King James's greatest faes, are on his side now.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 62:
Aince we hae lickit oor faes And aince I get oot o' this hell.Ags. 1985 Raymond Vettese in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 15:
Wham! and Splat!
wis aa he kent in yon days;
heroes wi thows haurd as cricket baas
crackit the chouks o see-through faes. em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 15:
He hauds a thoosan thunners ready
Tae connach an destroy his faes,
Trummlin an yivvery in his grup

Hence: (1) faedom, generically used for enemies; (2) faemen, foemen.(1) Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms lx. 12:
Himlane sal down-tread our hail fae-dom!(2) Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 170:
Ye've mair to fear frae it, my lads, Than our faemen's dirks or blads.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 25:
He'll learn his faemen their ain march.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 9:
Comparisons airned Tumshie little thanks
frae chiels thirled tae strang drink in faemen's skulls.