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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STILL, adj., n., v. Also stull (Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick i.). Sc. usages:

I. adj.

Sc. form of Eng. still.Slg. 1990 Janet Paisley in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 120:
Hur big heavy airms roon me. Peenin me doon, keepin me stull, haudin me, haudin me.

Sc. usages:

1. Of persons: reserved, taciturn, not forthcoming in manner (ne.Sc., Ags. 1971). Comb. still-minded, id. (Rxb. 1971). Now only dial. in Eng.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
He's a still, dour chield.
Abd. 1848 J. D. Tough Short Narrative 5:
I gave offence to Mr Smith, who was naturally of a very still humour.
Ayr. 1952 J. Veitch G. D. Brown 18:
In actual business he was very quiet and reserved, almost watchful, a side of bis nature that was aptly described by the Cumnock banker when he termed him “a still man”.

2. Secret, subdued, undetected. Obs. in Eng.Mry. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XX. 211:
A still fire broke out, near mid-day, with inextinguishable vehemence, in a room that had been deafened with straw and shavings of wood, instead of clay.

3. Phr. still as a stap, stock-still, absolutely still, motionless (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.).

II. n. The pause in the tide between ebb and flow (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., still of the tide; Sh., Wgt. 1971); a lull in wind (Sh. 1971). See v., and cf. Shakespeare 2 Henry IV. ii. iii. 64.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Description 239:
At high-water there is a short cessation of the tide called the Still; the ebb now begins.

III. v. To remain quiet and silent, be hushed and at peace. Vbl.n. stiltin, = II. (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), de stillin o' de tide, Sh. 1971).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 20:
They've gotten a geet that stills na night nor day.
Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1873) 42:
I'm sure he [a baby] winno' still the night.

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"Still adj., n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/still_adj_n_v>

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