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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RAITHER, adv. Also rether (Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie In Two Tongues 32), raether (Abd. 1860 Banffshire Jnl. (24 Jan.) 12); reather (Sc. a.1830 James Hatley in Child Ballads No. 244 A. 15); reither (Sh. 1718 Old-Lore Misc. (1912) V. iv. 156); raider (Abd. 1934 Abd. Univ. Review (March) 122); redder (Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 23; Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 138; Sh., ne.Sc. 1967); rader (Sc. c.1805 Kitchie Boy in Child Ballads No. 252 A. vi.). Sc. forms of Eng. rather (Abd. 1865 G. MacDonald Alec Forbes xiv., e.Lth. 1876 J. Teenan Song and Satire 42, Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe ii.; Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 21), and D, 4. Gen.Sc. See P.L.D. §§ 49, 135, 165. Deriv. ratherest, most particularly, especially; raitherly, retherly, ratherly, rather (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Cai. 1967). Phr. raether to the raether, raither o the raitherest (Ork. 1967), rather far, “a bit much.”Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 66, 375:
Gin thou'lt no fancy her, And ratherest wad ha'e Meg . . . The which son [of Paul Jones] yet lives, but is ratherly a doyloch.Sc. 1830 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 58:
The tinkler-randy, whase looks gar you ratherly incline to the ither side o' the road.Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MS.:
Auld Jeems Wilson used to say when anyone went too far in speech or deed, “Ay! that's raether to the raether.”Uls. 1898 A. M'Ilroy Auld Meetin'-Hoose Green 159:
That's maybe no' a big yin? — a' retherly think it bates the ither.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 4:
My son kens Tartuffe is worth his saut!
He'd raither you were in God's Good Grace
Than daunerin' doon your ain paths tae the Other Place. Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 23:
Ah'd raither hiv a flyin carpet. Wae wan a them ah could scoot ower tae Spain an see how ma Billy's daen. Gsw. 1991 Margaret Sinclair Windae Hingin' and Busker Singin' 13:
Ah'd rether hiv a job, black hauns an' dirty face,
Be able oan a Friday tae pit ma wages oan the brace. m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 21:
Aw, here we go!...So you'd raither see us further up tae oor necks in the shite... Dundee 2000 Ellie McDonald Pathfinder 11:
Sangs fae the faur awa
are nocht tae you that 'ud
raither haud cannles
up til a hantit gless.