Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DEY, n.2 [dei Sh.; dəi ne.Sc.; de: Fif.]
1. A father (Abd. 1900 E.D.D.; Fif. 1825 Jam.2; Fif.10 1940; Rnf. 1875 (per Abd.27)); hence grand-dey, a grandfather (Fif. 1825 Jam.2). A child's word.
2. A grandfather (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Mry.1 1925; Bnff., Fif. 1947 (per Abd.27)); used as a term of respect when speaking to an old man. A grandmother (Bnff. 1927 Mr Milne W.-L.).Clc. 1889 F. Barnard in Poets and Poetry Lnlsh. (ed. Bisset 1896) 195:
Eh! there's dey up frae the raw, Come to tak' my bairn awa'.
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"Dey n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/dey_n2>
