Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1880-1958
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TYE, adv., int. Also ty, taye, ¶ti (Abd. 1957 Bon-Accord (22 Aug.) 9). A contracted form of hoot aye (see Hoot, I. Phrs. (2)), used as an emphatic reply or asseveration, = yes, indeed, certainly, to be sure, freq. employed to cover a lull in a conversation (ne.Sc. 1921 T.S.D.C., ‡ne.Sc. 1973). Freq. reduplicated and in forms o tye, oot ty.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton 102:
"Tye," said Eppie, "she may hae mony failins, bit Nancy's never at a loss for an answer." . . . "Aw wonner if he's left a wull noo?" "O, tye, aw'm thinkin' he hiz."Abd. 1905 C. Horne Forgue 65:
"Is Robbie come hame yet?" . . . "Oot ty, and in his bed sleeping lang ago"Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 16:
"Bit hiv ye h'ard the news?" "Tye, tye."Abd. 1936 D. Bruce Cried on Sunday 11:
"Bit they're nae ready yet." "'Taye, 'taye, are they."Bnff. 1958 Banffshire Adv. (20 Nov.):
Ay, ay, Ty, ty, ty. Imphm. Fairly that.
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"Tye adv., interj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/tye>
