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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

IDLESET, n., adj. Also -sett; -seat, -seet, -ceit (ne.Sc.); idlesee; eedlesee (Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 56), -say, -sey (Sh.). [Sc. ′əidlsɛt; Abd. ′əidlsi(t)]

I. n. 1. Idleness, laziness, reluctance to work (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 278; Sh. (-sey), Mry., Bnff., Abd. (-seat), Ags., Fif., m.Lth., Kcb.1958).Edb. 1789 A. Steele Shepherd's Wedding 18:
For idleset will seldom, now-a-days, Fill folks wame, or cleed their back wi claithes.
Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie xciii.:
Nobody says or thinks that it was idleset which brought you to the lone.
Sc. 1849 M. Oliphant M. Maitland xxiii.:
There was want among them oftentimes, idleset and wastry being near friends.
Abd. 1879 G. Macdonald Sir Gibbie xxxiv.:
And here am I . . . sittin' here in idleseat, wi' my fire, an' my brose, an' my bible.
Fif. 1895 S. Tytler Kincaid's Widow xvii.:
I have been spiled by the lang years of idle-set and luxury in the town.
Sc. 1897 Stevenson W. of Hermiston iii.:
Ye'll have to find some kind of a trade, for I'll never support ye in idleset.
Kcd. 1933 L. G. Gibbon Cloud Howe 252:
His father . . . would glunch and glare at every bit mouthful he saw his son eat — his hands had never held idleceit's bread.
Abd. 1993:
I'm jist livin a life o idleseet since I cam hame fae e hospital.

2. Want of work, unemployment (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 9; wm.Sc., Rxb. 1958).Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxvii.:
To me the period o' bridegroomhood was onything but a sizzen o' idleset, . . . I was keepit trottin' here an' there an' back an' fore.
Lnk. 1886 Sc. Readings (Murdoch) 88:
The bailies are no subject to idle-sets, like puir working-men.
Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 27:
Grants and doles, Baith for idleset and sickness.
Abd.15 1928:
It's jist idlesee that ails the beast.

3. A period of enforced unemployment.Ayr. 1729 Chambers's Jnl. (28 May 1836) 143:
It is enacted, that there be an idlesett of the whole trade, beginning the 22nd of December, to last till Candlemas.

II. adj. Idle, disposed to idleness (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Abd.4 1930).Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl. 55:
The horse was kept idleset.
Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 80:
Dubbies wis a driver an' keepit nae idleseet fowk aboot's place.

[O.Sc. idleset, id. from 1590, idleseat (ne.Sc.) from c.1650, from idle + Set, placing, disposition. In ne.Sc., however, the second element seems to have been associated rather with seat, place, position. There may also possibly be some influence from the ending of Falset.]

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"Idleset n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/idleset>

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