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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.

STOIT, v., n.1, adv. Also stoite, stoyt(e), stite, styte, steit, steyt; also stout (Fif.). [stɔit, stəit; Fif. Stʌut]

I. v. 1. intr. To bounce, to rebound (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 186; Inv. 1904 E.D.D.; Mry. 1928). Also tr. to cause to bounce or rebound (Gregor). More commonly as Stot, v.2ne.Sc. 1836 J. Grant Tales 65:
Something bang't oot wi' sic a vengeance as gart her stoit back for a yard or twa.

2. To stagger, stumble from drink or weakness, blunder about, walk in a dazed, uncertain manner (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 186; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Rxb. 1942 Zai; ne.Sc., em.Sc., Lnk., Ayr., s.Sc., Uls. 1971).Sc. 1719 in Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) l. 124:
Wi' Writing I'm sae bleirt and doited, That when I raise, in Troth I stoited.
Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 500:
Stout Steen gart mony a fallow stoit, and flang them down like faill.
Ayr. 1787 Burns To Miss Ferrier iii.:
Last day my mind was in a bog, Down George's Street I stoited.
Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 181:
'Mang Winter's snaws, turn'd almost doited, I swagger'd forth, but near han' stoited.
Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems II. 61:
An auld, beld carle, Just stoitin to the ither warl.
Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxx.:
I wish ye had seen him stoiting about wi' a kmd o' dot-and-go-one sort o' motion.
Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck vii.:
If ye war to stite aff that, ye wad gang to the boddam o the linn wi' a flaip.
Uls. 1844 R. Huddleston Poems 85:
I'm stoitin' through like onnie stoge.
Kcd. 1849 W. Jamie Gleanings 25:
'Tis fifty simmers, a' but ane, Sin' first I man'd to stoit my lane.
Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 58:
Wha stouts upon a wooden leg.
Lnk. 1895 W. Stewart Lilts 87:
My muse, dear Will's, a glaikit jaud, She stoytes alang like tinker's yaud.

3. (1) To walk with a short sharp step (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 186), to move with agility (wm.Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1823 Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 212:
A wheen tutors and laddies gaun stoiting about wi' gowns and square trenchers?

(2) tr. To set down (the feet) firmly, to plant (the feet).Abd. 1882 T. Mair John o'Arnha's Latter-Day Exploits 40:
And stoitin's feet frae lip to lip He held it plumb, and leukit up.

4. To walk in a casual, easy way, to stroll, saunter (ne.Sc., Ags. 1971).Mry. 1865 W. Tester Poems 130:
I stytit doon the ither nicht To speir for Jean an' Janet.
Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton 126:
He “stoitet” out and in to the byres and stable, examining every cow, ox and horse separately.

II. n. 1. (1) A bounce, spring, rebound, as of a ball (‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); a quick, springing motion in walking, a tripping gait (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 186).

(2) A buffet, blow (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Dmf., Rxb. 1971).

(3) Fig.: the regular sequence of motions in using a tool, the rhythm of working, the proper way of doing a thing. See Stot.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
To lose or tyne the stoit, to lose the proper line of conduct.
Cld. 1880 Jam.:
Ye hae na got the stoit o't yet.

(4) a casual stroll, an amble, an easy walk (ne.Sc. 1971).Abd. 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert iv.:
A wis gyaun tae tak' a styte roon the parks tae see gin the nowt be a' richt.

2. A lurch, stagger, a tottering step (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 186; Cld. 1880 Jam.; I., ne.Sc., Ags. 1971). Phr. to play stoit, to stagger, stumble.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 164:
Fegs, wi' mony a stoit an stevel, She [a mare] rais'd a trot.
Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 68:
If ye gie a bit stoit when yer toddlin' hame.
Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 118:
He play'd stoit frae side tae side.

3. A stupid, ungainly, blundering person, a blockhead (Cld. 1880 Jam.; Abd. 1971). Also in Eng. dial.Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy G. Chalmers 80:
Aff rows my cup aff the saucer . . . “Auld stoit!” whispers Mrs. Braidfit.
s.Sc. 1837 Wilson's Tales of the Borders III. 326:
They wad be fonder than I am o' cock birds wha wad gie tippence for the stite o' a howlet.
Ayr. 1896 G. Umber Ayr. Idylls 155:
A [sermon] read . . . by a styte wi' the paper close to his nose.
Abd. 1915 Rymour Club Misc. II. 177:
He's jist a stupid styte.

4. Foolish talk, nonsense, stupid rubbish (Mry. 1811 W. Leslie Agric. Mry. 467, styte; Abd., Kcb. 1825 Jam.; Ork., Cai., ne.Sc. 1971). Also as an exclam.Abd. 1813 D. Anderson Poems 77:
Keepin' constant chattin' Up glaekit styte atween the loons.
Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 14:
I haenna' time for that bumbaisin' styte.
Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxvii.:
Stoit, mither: fat needs ye aye gae on that gate?
Abd. 1877 G. MacDonald M. of Lossie xv.:
What put sic buff an' styte i' yer heid?
Kcd. 1933 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 332.:
Tales of the land that were just plain stite.
Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 48:
Some fowks say the Classics are stite.
Abd. 1995 Sheena Blackhall Lament for the Raj 11:
They birled their lugs an they flashed their een
An gibbered a wheen o styte
An Davie said they war frienly-kind
Bit Mary thocht them gyte.
ne.Sc. 2003 Press and Journal 15 Dec 12:
Tak Roy Lyall's sister, Edna, a grand player o the kirk organ as fowk at Skene Kirk ken weel. Edna come up wi the expression "buff an stite" which wis new tae me, bit it jist means tae spik a heap o dirt.
Abd. 2005:
E MP spak a hale lot o bluff, styte an nonsense.

III. adv. With a bump, in a bouncing manner (ne.Sc., Ags., Dmf. 1971).Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 108:
Sandy's fit slippit aff the edge o' the sofa, an' he cam' stoit doon.

[Du. stuit, a bounce, rebound, of a ball etc., stuiten, to brake, to bounce, to bump, prob. cogn. with Stot, v. For the Fif. form stout, see note to Dowtit, and O, 2. (2) (vii) (b).]

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"Stoit v., n.1, adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/stoit_v_n1_adv>

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