Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1706-1910
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‡MELTITH, n. Also melte(i)th, mealtith, meltaith (Lnk. 1816 G. Muir Cld. Minstrelsy 5); meltit, -et; mealtate; ¶melter (Sc. 1775 Weekly Mag. (26 Jan.) 219).
1. A meal, a repast; food, sustenance; a mealtime (‡Dmb. 1962).Sc. 1706 Sc. Antiquary XII. 103:
In the mean time we sit with mony a Hungry Wame and mony a slight Mealtate.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 27:
A hearty hand to give a hungry meltith. An ironical Ridicule upon a niggardly Dispenser.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 27:
The feckless meltet did her heart o'erset, 'Cause nature frae't did little sustnance get.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) 137:
A heartsome meltith, and refreshing synd O' nappy liquor, o'er a bleezing fire.Slk. 1811 Hogg Poems (1874) 373:
Auld Geordie sat beside a board Wi' routh o' hamely meltith stored.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems (1897) 40:
Held aye the house baith tight and bein And made their meltiths warm and clean.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate xi.:
Mair like a mash for horse than a meltith for man's use.wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 241:
On the strength of our melteith . . . we sallied furth.s.Sc. 1880 Border Counties Mag. I. 93:
I'll do it for a meltith o' meat.Lnl. 1910 J. White Eppie Gray 7:
An' though a humble meltith. Feth, a better coodna be.
Hence combs.: ¶(1) meltith-buird, a table, the board where meals are served; (2) meltit time, mealtime; (3) meltith hale, able to eat heartily. Cf. meat-hale, s.v. Meat.(1) Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms cxxviii. 3:
Yer weans, round about yer meltith-buird, sal growe like the olive wands.(2) Ags. 1820 A. Balfour Contemplation 278:
For milk, an' bread, an' sowens, an' kail, Were never missed at meltit time.(3) Rnf. 1842 R. Clark Random Rhymes 19:
To see gin a' be meltith hale, An' thrang at wark.
†2. The quantity of milk given by a cow at a single milking (Ags., Per. 1825 Jam.). Cf. Meal, n.2Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 102:
Quickly they the kebbuck table, Hawkie's e'enin' mealtith bring.Ags. 1821 A. Lowson R. Guidfollow (1890) 235:
The milk frae ony cow could steal An' make whole meltits ramp!s.Sc. 1839 Wilson's Tales of the Borders V. 96:
She accordingly brought her evening's meltith and skimmed it into his dish.
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"Meltith n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/meltith>
