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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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FREITH, v., n. Also freath(e), freeth(e); fr(a)ith, fraeth. [sm. and s.Sc. fre:θ, wm.Sc., Dmf. fri:θ]

I. v. 1. To foam, froth (Kcb. 1953).Also fig. Also ppl. adj. and vbl. n. freithin.Ayr. 1786 Burns Scotch Drink x.:
When Vulcan gies his bellows breath, An' ploughmen gather wi' their graith, O rare! to see thee fizz an' freath I' th' lugget caup.Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 135:
Hail, nappy fraithin on a day! Whan Phoebus glints sae brisk in May.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 12:
East Anster burghers . . . Were fraithin' at the mou', and fizzin' At beads and halie water.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 330:
Washerwives, wi' ban'less tongues, Mang freathin' graith are splashin.Ags. 1985 Raymond Vettese in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 15:
Aiblins he grat for the bairn that aince wis
and the comic he thocht true;
aiblins for laddies,
death's toom bubble at ilka freithin mou. Ags. 1990 Raymond Vettese in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 141:
And sae we were, an' still are, as we sit in the quiet o the howff; the freithin pints settle and the silence craiks ... Sc. 1991 John McDonald in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 89:
Atween twa days
the gean's cam wechty
wi a freithin o flouers

2. To work a liquid up into a froth, esp. of soapsuds, to make a lather.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. ii.:
We're no yet begun To freath the Graith.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 90:
Jean gaed to the green, to her freathin' and synin'.Sc. 1934 W. Power My Scotland 89:
A cup of steaming chocolate freathed with whipped cream.

3. To swill clothes quickly through soap-suds (Kcb., Dmf. 1953).Cld. 1825 Jam., s.v. freath:
To freethe claes; applied to clothes which have lain some time after being washed and dried, without having been smoothed with the iron or otherwise properly dressed. A graith is made in which the clothes receive a slight washing, that they may be put into a fit state for being dressed.

II. n. 1. Froth, foam, lather (Rxb. 1825, Cld. 1880 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Kcb. 1953). Adj. fraithy.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 6:
The pingle-pan Is on the ingle set — into the flood Of firey frith the lyart gear is cast.Fif. 1814 W. Tennant Trottin' Nanny 10:
While Nans, provokit wi' their clackie, Spat burnin' fraeth.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 54:
The barbers, fraithy as their suds, Instead o' razors, flourish'd cuds.Cai. 1829 J. Hay Poems 14:
An' fill their paunches to the rack, Wi' win' an' freeth.Kcb.⁴ 1900:
When the sowp is nicely risen all over with soapy bubbles it is said to be freeth.

2. A slight hasty wash given to clothes (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Ayr., Dmf. c.1880; Arg., Dmb., Gsw., Kcb., Dmf. 1953).

¶3. Fig. A state of excitement, quasi bringing froth to the lips.Ayr. 1840 J. Ramsay Eglinton Park 52:
A chiel might dread as muckle scaith, Frae turkey cock when in his wrath, Or gossie peckin' in her freath, On nest a-sittin'.