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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

FEAT, adj. Also faet (Gall. 1877 “Saxon” Gall. Gossip 115), fait, fett; feit. [fi:t, ‡fe:t]

‡1. Clever, adroit, graceful. Used also adv. Adv. featly, cleverly, smartly. Now arch. or dial. in Eng.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 267:
Sae feat ye tript it.Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 147:
As featlie thro' the reels content They ran wi' little pressin'.Lnk. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 208:
My shape is winsome, tall and feit.Kcb. 1890 A. J. Armstrong Ingleside 165:
Strong an' yall, an fait to hail Oor gowden weddin' day.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 257:
Swallow yer brekfast as featly as you can, an' be aff an' awa'.

2. Neat, trim, tidy, gen. of persons or their dress (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 224, fett; Mry., Hdg., Gall. 1950). Obs. in Eng. since c.1700. Hence featly, adv., featness, n.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 19:
She gae'd as fait as a new Prin, And kept her Housie snod and been.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 43:
Their claes sae cleanly dight an' feat.Ayr. 1786 Burns Halloween iii.:
The lasses feat an' cleanly neat, Mair braw than when they're fine.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 2:
Nor wad his wifie waste her winnin', But kept a' feat wi' her ain spinnin'.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 163:
The songster that says thou art sweet, Or rooses thy fashion or featness.Kcb. 1895 Crockett Bog-Myrtle 195:
Every Sabbath day with their dresses “fait and snod” and their linen like the very snow.Ib. 238:
She brushed him faitly down.Sc. 1920 A. Gray Songs from Heine 16:
I lo'e only ane, My neat little, sweet little, feat little quean.

Comb.: ¶feat-peak, some sort of ornamental trimming on the top of a woman's cap.Per. a.1869 C. Spence Poems (1898) 42:
I'll buy a cockernonie fine, She'll plait it wi' a feat-peak.