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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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FORGAITHER, v., n. Also fore-, for(e)gather, forge(a)ther, -geither, forgad(d)er, for(e)gedder; fergadder (Sh.).

I. v. 1. intr. To assemble, gather together, congregate, of several or many people. Gen.Sc. Vbl.n. forgaitherin, -gathering, a meeting, an assembly (ne.Sc., Ags., Slg., m.Lth. 1953).Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 11:
Whare fock of ilka age and name, . . . Forgather aft, O fy for shame! To drink and tipple.Dmf. 1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun 9:
Ae Simmer's morning, wi' the sun, The Seven Trades there, Forgathered, for their Siller Gun To shoot ance mair.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 50:
Whan they were a' forgadder'd there, A man stood up upon a stair.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1898) ii.:
Couple above couple dating the day of their happiness from that famous forgathering.Abd. 1858 J. B. Pratt Buchan 71:
Our ingle-nook forgatherings were not taken up with cross-breeds, railroads, and London markets.Dmf. 1894 R. Reid Poems 3:
It's raised by the Lord's ain ransom'd thrang Forgether'd abune Kirkbride.Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie Poems 19:
At the end o' the toon, a wee bit left o' the nock, There's a hantle o' men forgetherin' in a place.Sh. 1931 Manson's Shet. Almanac 193:
Ye'll no hinder a hale half-a-dizzen o' da boys ta fergadder in da owld man's corn yard.Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 75:
... the heich pynt o the Martullich year fin aa the warld an his mither foregaithert tae see their kin an neebors an fiers fur a claik an a dram ...

2. intr., with wi. To encounter, meet with (another or others), often by chance; absol., gen. of two people, to meet together, with each other. Gen.Sc. Sometimes of ships, to fall in with. Vbl.n. forgaitherin, -gathering.Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 67:
When I again Auld Reikie see, And can forgether, lad, with thee.Sc. 1776 Ramsay Proverbs Dedic. 6:
When ye forgather with your friends at kirk or market, banquet or bridal.Ayr. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 5–6:
Twa dogs, that were na thrang at hame, Forgather'd ance upon a time.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. v.:
Tell Sir William Ashton that the next time he and I foregather, he will not be half sae blithe of our meeting as of our parting.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie lxiii.:
Then came my forgathering in the wood with the gipsies.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1898) ii.:
He had fallen in love with my mother . . . at the christening of a neighbour's bairn, where they both happened to forgather.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlv.:
I hed hardly apen't my mou' till 'im, fan we foregedder't at the fit o' the loan.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 31:
Deil 'e ane i' Norowa', Daneland . . . I ever foregathered wi' that could lay me back tae the grund.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xv.:
We forgaithered wi' anither boat that belanged to a man Sandie Fletcher.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xiii.:
The outsailed Seahorse and the deceived Ariel had forgathered off the Isle of Man.Sc. 1936 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 26:
Fowk wha forgaither wi' this fairlie, Whaur time is naither late nor early.Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 56:
I forgaithered a'e day wi' an Enzie loon, An' weel-a-wat, there was twa o's.

3. To associate, keep company (with) (ne.Sc., m.Lth. 1953). Rarely with up. Also fig.Ayr. 1786 Burns Death of Mailie x.:
O, may thou ne'er forgather up, Wi' onie blastet, moorlan toop.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish xvii.:
He . . . had forgathered with a doited tawpy, whom he married.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 119:
What think ye, sir, o' the lisp and the burr foregatherin in ane and the same mouth?Fif. 1894 J. W. M'Laren Tibbie and Tam 82:
Yon auld stupid body Andro Elshin ye forgather wi' far ower often to my likin'.Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff xx.:
What's the folk they forgether wi' tae think?

‡4. To come together in marriage (Abd.²⁷ 1950).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 14:
An' gin ye mind, I but nineteen was out, Fan we forgather'd, or just thereabout.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 100:
Fouk ay had best begin wi' dealing fair, Altho they sud forgether ne'er so bare.

II. n. A meeting (Dwn. 1931 Northern Whig (27 Nov.), forgether; ne.Sc. 1953).