Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1879, 1932-1949
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HERDA, n. Any growing crop which has been trampled underfoot by animals; husks, stubble (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1957). Now gen. fig. = anything in a crushed or confused state, in phr. in herda, in utter confusion, in ruins, in pieces (Ib.). [′hærdə]Sh. 1879 Shetland Times (2 Aug.):
Whin he coodna look efter everything hit a' shüne güde laek herda afore da wind.Sh. 1932 J. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 131:
Broonie . . . often yarfasted the screws of corn and desses of hay against a storm, but if anyone interfered he resented that by laying both screws and desses "in Herda."Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 93:
Wan yatlin anker keetle (wir een is in herda). A peerie box o' growin saa.
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"Herda n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Aug 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/herda>
