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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.

FREITH, v., n. Also freath(e), freeth(e); fr(a)ith, fraeth. [sm. and s.Sc. fre:θ, wm.Sc., Dmf. fri:θ]

I. v. 1. To foam, froth (Kcb. 1953). Also fig. Also ppl. adj. and vbl. n. freithin.Ayr. 1786 Burns Scotch Drink x.:
When Vulcan gies his bellows breath, An' ploughmen gather wi' their graith, O rare! to see thee fizz an' freath I' th' lugget caup.Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 135:
Hail, nappy fraithin on a day! Whan Phoebus glints sae brisk in May.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 12:
East Anster burghers . . . Were fraithin' at the mou', and fizzin' At beads and halie water.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 330:
Washerwives, wi' ban'less tongues, Mang freathin' graith are splashin.Ags. 1985 Raymond Vettese in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 15:
Aiblins he grat for the bairn that aince wis
and the comic he thocht true;
aiblins for laddies,
death's toom bubble at ilka freithin mou. Ags. 1990 Raymond Vettese in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 141:
And sae we were, an' still are, as we sit in the quiet o the howff; the freithin pints settle and the silence craiks ... Sc. 1991 John McDonald in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 89:
Atween twa days
the gean's cam wechty
wi a freithin o flouers

2. To work a liquid up into a froth, esp. of soapsuds, to make a lather.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. ii.:
We're no yet begun To freath the Graith.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 90:
Jean gaed to the green, to her freathin' and synin'.Sc. 1934 W. Power My Scotland 89:
A cup of steaming chocolate freathed with whipped cream.

3. To swill clothes quickly through soap-suds (Kcb., Dmf. 1953).Cld. 1825 Jam., s.v. freath:
To freethe claes; applied to clothes which have lain some time after being washed and dried, without having been smoothed with the iron or otherwise properly dressed. A graith is made in which the clothes receive a slight washing, that they may be put into a fit state for being dressed.

II. n. 1. Froth, foam, lather (Rxb. 1825, Cld. 1880 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Kcb. 1953). Adj. fraithy.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 6:
The pingle-pan Is on the ingle set — into the flood Of firey frith the lyart gear is cast.Fif. 1814 W. Tennant Trottin' Nanny 10:
While Nans, provokit wi' their clackie, Spat burnin' fraeth.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 54:
The barbers, fraithy as their suds, Instead o' razors, flourish'd cuds.Cai. 1829 J. Hay Poems 14:
An' fill their paunches to the rack, Wi' win' an' freeth.Kcb.⁴ 1900:
When the sowp is nicely risen all over with soapy bubbles it is said to be freeth.

2. A slight hasty wash given to clothes (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Ayr., Dmf. c.1880; Arg., Dmb., Gsw., Kcb., Dmf. 1953).

¶3. Fig. A state of excitement, quasi bringing froth to the lips.Ayr. 1840 J. Ramsay Eglinton Park 52:
A chiel might dread as muckle scaith, Frae turkey cock when in his wrath, Or gossie peckin' in her freath, On nest a-sittin'.