Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1766-1865, 1921-1928
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SCRIFT, n., v. Also scriff-.
I. n. A relation, account, a long passage of prose or verse recited or read off, a long-winded story (Cld. 1880 Jam.; Abd. 1921; Kcd., Ags. 1969); a fabrication, falsehood (Jam.).Per. 1766 A. Nicol Poems 76:
He can pray, and tell long scrifts of Greek.Fif. 1811 C. Gray Poems 62:
“Off loof” ye'se get a scrift (tho' silly) O' my poor rhymin' clatter.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxii.:
Sandy used to wreat occasionally to my mither, an' gie her a scrift o' a' the news that was gaun on.Lnk. 1865 J. Hamilton Poems 293:
[To] rhyme a bit scrift in reply to yer letter.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 25:
The “maister” had his sel' the gift, An' bood to ha'e the laddie's scrift.
II. v. To recite, declaim, reel off. Vbl.n. scriffan [ < scriftin], a story, account.Abd. 1797 Aberdeen Mag. 350:
Frae Rabbie's sangs wad scrifted aff bedeen, His pair o' Dogs, Horn-buik, or Hallowe'en.Ags. 1819 A. Balfour Campbell I. xviii.:
[They] wad hae scriftit aff a psalm or a paraphrase ilka Sunday night.Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
He sent me a letter, a short scriffan about his illness.
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"Scrift n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/scrift>
