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: 1864-1933
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UNBEKENT, ppl.adj. 1. Unknown, strange, unfamiliar to (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxviii.:
A real gentleman though he's unbekent to me.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin' Robin 151:
Half a sovereign which I had saved up unbekent to Marget.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 21:
On by side gates unbekent.Sc. 1933 N. B. Morrison Gowk Storm v.:
The squat, dark, “unbekent” people found sometimes in the Hebrides.
2. Unobserved, unnoticed (Per. 1973). Also unbekently, adv.Per. 1903 H. MacGregor Souter's Lamp 203:
Ae nicht I watched him unbekent as he sat in his chair.Ayr. 1913 “Kissock” Sc. Poems 18:
As I pass unbekently bye.
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"Unbekent ppl. adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/unbekent>
