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.
Quotation dates: 1927-1931, 1991-2000
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SMAIRT, adj. Also smert. Sc. form and usages of Eng. smart. See P.L.D. §41.1.(2). As in Eng., in derivs. (1) smarter, smerter, n., a lively and efficient person, one who is quick to understand and act (Cai., m.Sc. 1970); (2) smartie, n., id. Gen.Sc.
Sc. form of Eng. smart. Also compar. smerter.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 38:
" ... Ye maun think yer smert, but I wadnae craa.
Whan it comes tae anatomy, yer brehns
is in yer feet." Man, whit a coup d'etat.Dundee 1996 Matthew Fitt Pure Radge 8:
straucht an smert
the ba is lowsed
sherp as a skelf
burlin aa weys
a buhlittAyr. 2000:
She's a lot smerter nor me.
Sc. usages:
(1) Ags. 1929 Scots Mag. (May) 148:
She'd been a smerter a' her days.Dmb. 1931 A. J. Cronin Hatter's Castle iii. ix.:
Gad! but she was a smarter . . . as clever as you make them.(2) Bnff. 1927 Banffshire Jnl. (18 Jan.) 5:
Ellen is a smartie Never kent tae hesitate.Abd. 1930 N. Shepherd Weatherhouse 294:
She's done well for herself, Stella has, she's a smartie.
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"Smairt adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/smairt>
