Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

FOREHANDIT, ppl.adj. Also -handed, -haunit.

†1. Rash, precipitate (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.).

2. Paid in advance (Bnff., Per., Slg., Fif., m.Lth., wm.Sc., Slk. 1953). Cf. Forehand, I. 3. Also adv. Sometimes of persons, paying in advance (wm.Sc.¹ 1953).Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxii.:
Ye maun hae forehandit payments here.Lth. 1885 J. Strathesk Blinkbonny 11:
She paid a month's wages “forehanded.”Sc. 1922 Trans. Royal Philos. Soc. Gsw. LI. 120:
While the law of hypothec existed a farm tenant as a rule got entry under his lease to the ploughable land at Martinmas, and the houses and grass at Whitsunday thereafter, and paid his first half-year's rent at Martinmas one year after his entry out of the proceeds of his crop. Now he is called on to pay six months earlier, and farmers to this day call this forehanded rent.

3. Prudent, far-seeing, taking thought for the future (Ork.⁵, Abd.², Ags.², m.Lth.¹ 1945). Obs. in Eng. since 1658. Common in U.S. usage from which phs. it has been borrowed by Sc.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 147:
He's a carefu' man, an' in some things baith eident and forehanded.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 8:
An' Tam, forehaun'it, set to werk To haud her faurer i' the derk.

4. In bowling and curling = Forehand, I. 2. (m.Lth.¹ 1953).