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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NEAT, adj., v. Also nate (Ayr. 1886 J. Meikle The Lintie 148; Rxb. 1897 J. C. Dibdin Border Life 172), naet, nait (Watson), net(t). Sc. forms and usages. [net]

I. adj. 1. Of persons: trim, smart, esp. in figure or dress. Mainly obs. in Eng. from 18th c.Sc. 1798 Monthly Mag. (Dec.) 435:
A handsome woman, a neat-woman.Fif. 1831 Fife Herald (22 Sept.):
Whether the man who dresses neatly must don a slouched hat and a pair of nett shoes, because of the extravagance of some pennyless puppy who takes it into his head to ape him?Abd. 1930 Abd. Univ. Rev. (March) 103:
I min' o' you a richt net, kibble lass.

2. Exact, precise, nett (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; I., ne. and m.Sc. 1963). Also used adv. Only dial. in Eng. from 18th c.Sc. 1735 Session Papers, Parkhill v. Weir (24 Nov.) 14:
Where a neat Tocher is stipulated and paid.Sc. 1764 Caled. Mercury (21 April) 195:
Paying of neat yearly rent (after deduction of feu duty, Minister's stipend, and School master's salary) . . . about £1040 sterling.Sc. 1807 Farmer's Mag. (May) 216:
The Sheriff's interlocutor . . . remits to the inspectors to state the neat expense of repairing such fences.Ags. 1833 J. Sands Poems 129:
The tail that at the dragon hang, Was nett ae mile three quarters lang.Gsw. 1863 J. Young Ingle Nook 15:
Wee gabbie Annie o' saxteen, Neat eellens wi' her cousin Jean.Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 113:
Her lespun' o' butter weighed sixteen pund neat.Per. 1894 I. Maclaren Brier Bush 201:
It cam tae the hundred neat.Dmf. 1915 J. L. Waugh Betty Grier 132:
That'll be five pounds six shillin's-nate, as it were.

Hence n(a)etly, exactly.Rnf. 1862 A. McGilvray Poems 11:
I stand exactly five feet seven, And netly weigh twelve stones eleven.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
Sax-an'-therty blue-lippet plates . . . naetly full't o' milk pottage.

3. Deriv. nettie, -y, natie, neat(t)y, sheer, pure, unmitigated.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 85:
Her heart wi' nettie grief began ti rise Whan she sae grytly alter'd saw the guise.ne.Sc. 1791 Caled. Mercury (17 Sept.):
I'm erch he crack my crazy pow Wi' natie glee.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 85:
Hae I not seen your worthless father Tak' life and living baith thegether, For netty want, without regard.

†II. v. To make neat. Now rare or obs. exc. dial. in Eng.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 135:
Gae, nate thy legs, sae ill-built, bowl'd and bandy.