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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SHELTIE, adj., n. Also shelty, †scheltie, -y (Sc. 1727 D. De Foe Tour (1742) IV. 294), †shealty (Abd. 1749 Abd. Journal (30 May)), shiltie (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl,), -y; shaltie, -y, shawltie (Abd. 1884 D. Grant Lays 9); sholtie (Ork.); and reduced forms shelt (Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 60), shilt, shalt, shault (Abd. 1928 Abd. Book-Lover VI. 13), shawlt, sholt (Ork.), shult (Abd.). [′ʃɛlt(i); Abd. ′ʃɑlt(i), ′ʃʌlt(i), Ork. ′ʃɔlt(i)]

I. adj. Belonging to or characteristic of Shetland. Rare.Ork. 1912 J. Omond 80 Years Ago 22:
The quern stones were usually Sholtie stones, stones from Shetland.

II. n. 1. A Shetland pony, one of a breed of very small horses native to Shetland but now exported and bred in many countries (Sh. 1808 Jam., 1866 Edm. Gl.); also applied to any pony, usually of the Garron or Highland type (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 127). Gen.Sc. Also attrib., in 1844 = shaggy.Sc. 1704 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 341:
To david wilson when he came in to sell the little sheltie.Ork. 1734 P. Ork. A.S. (1923) 65:
One Shaltie, Eleven pound one shilling.Sh. 1750 J. Campbell Acct. Herring Fishery 8:
There are little Horses in this Island, which the Inhabitants call Shelties, they are so very small, that one may lay his leg over them from the Ground.Abd. 1774 Abd. Journal (27 June):
There are Three Shalts, and several year-olds of very fine Kinds.Abd. 1817 J. Christie Instructions 29:
We on with our sholts, a jogging and budging.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy iv.:
I, for the present, travel on foot, or on a Highland shelty.Rxb. 1833 A. Hall Sc. Borderer (1874) 24:
A doddered cow, a shelty, or a pet lamb.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller ii.:
Your lang, shelty, shaggy eebrows.Sc. 1875 W. A. Smith Lewsiana 212:
The Barvas ponies seem a distinct species from the Shelty.Ags. 1880 J. Watt Poet Sk. 59:
To wirk some orra beast, or drive a milk shilt.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Raiders iii.:
The Dumfries lawyer (riding there on Donald, my sheltie).Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 119:
There lived a man i' Teuston Wha hed a sholtie mare.Abd. 1924 Trans. Bch. Field Club XIII. 29:
There's nae a shult in a' the pairish within a hunner mile o' 'im.Sc. 1951 Scots Mag. (July) 278:
The ponies that pull out the peats. They have their work cut out for them, those sturdy shelts.Abd. 1981 Jack Webster A Grain of Truth (1988) 38:
The men generally set out with shalt and float, taking a scythe as well. Abd. 1996 Sheena Middleton in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 28:
A lang, lang time syne, fin the Dee wis young, doon at the boddom o a broon puil wippit in liquid coils like a baskin aidder, aneth the bonnie crags o Craigendarroch, there bade a wee, fite shelt; a kelpie bi the name o Mortlich, an his mither, Gelder. Lnk. 1997 Duncan Glen From Upland Man 4:
The wee sheltie's being raced back and furrit
in front o the biggin
and forced doon the brae to the burn. Abd. 2000 Herald 18 Sep 21:
He got up at five. He fed the sheltie and yoked the big Ford tractor.

2. Fig. A whisky decanter, phs. with some allusion to the ponies used by smugglers.Sc. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (June) 323:
A ready ‘shelty' stands in waiting by, Around the board distributive to fly.Fif. 1897 S. Tytler Lady Jean's Son v.:
“Shelties” of usquebah in the change-houses.

3. Transf. the common top-shell, Calliostoma zizyphinum (Ork. 1954 Ork. Miscellany II. 56), also Shetland sholtie (Ib.); the black flea or sand-hopper, of the genus Orchestia (Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1970).

4. Chiefly jocularly: a Shetlander (Sh., n.Sc. 1970). More likely an application of 1. than a development from the original (see etym. note).Sh. 1888 Edmondston and Saxby Home of a Naturalist 180:
I make the acquaintance of other Shelties in the same way.Sh. 1967 New Shetlander No. 83. 6:
The community of second-generation “Shelties” in and around the Newcastle area.