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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.

OUTLIER, n. Also outlyer, oot-; ut-lier (Sh.); outlair. Cf. Outler.

1. An animal which is not housed but lives outside through the winter (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Sh., Wgt., s.Sc., Uls. 1964).Per. 1704 Letter in Atholl MSS. (11 July):
A buck that hes ben an out lyer thes severall years.Per. 1762 Caled. Mercury (17 May):
The stots are of an excellent Highland kind, out-lyers from one to five years.Lth. 1783 A. Wight Present State Husbandry IV. 623:
A temporary fold was made up, wherein young horses and horned cattle, out-liers, were confined, and abundance of fodder afforded to them.Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 218:
When outlyers on the brae, Lea' their tates o' tedded strae.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (1 April):
I ken ower weel what he is ta dell oot snaw'd sheep. He's a puir ootluik fir a' 'at haes ootlyers.Slk. 1916 Trans. Highl. Soc. XXVIII. 166:
The first cross, and even later ones, inherit the hardihood of their dams to such an extent that they make good “outliers.”s.Sc. 1954 Scotsman (27 March) 3:
West of Ireland Bullocks suitable for early grass beef, all outliers.

2. A person from a different or remote district (Sh. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 315, Sh. 1964), or who lives outside the bounds of a burgh.Sc. 1736 Records Conv. Burghs (1885) 616:
A royal burrow cannot deal in running [smuggling] with half the advantage an outlyer can.Sc. 1839 Wilson's Tales of the Borders V. 322:
When every outlyer and rinner-about in the East Neuk has been this day at the headquarters o' prelacy.

3. An outlaw, a skulker from justice, a vagabond.Sc. 1825 Babylon in Child Ballads No. 14 D. 3:
There she met with an outlyer bold, Lies many long nights in the woods so cold.

4. A person who is treated coldly by the other members of the household (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Cf. Outland.

5. Stones found loose above ground, not quarried (Sc. 1808 Jam., outlayer, -lair); a rock in the sea at some distance from the coast (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1964). The spelling in 1887 quot., if not a misprint, may be due to confusion with Outler.Abd. 1776 Session Papers, Petition J. Rigg (9 Aug.) 3:
There are quarries of stones and outlayers.Abd. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIII. 93, XIX. 158:
Outliers, as they are called, abounding in quantity, are more used than quarries, because they are both more easily got at, and taking them away, clears the ground. . . . There are excellent quarries . . . besides plenty of outlayers in the hill of Grandhome.Sc. 1807 J. Hall Travels II. 333:
There is, in the parish of Ordiquhill, a large outlier of lime stone some tons weight, and no lime-rock to be found near it.Sc. 1887 Jam.:
Stone dykes, marches, enclosures for cattle, etc. in rural districts are generally built of outlers [sic], gathered from fields, burns, and streams.