Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1707-1729, 1814-1845
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GILT, v. 1. tr. To gild (Ork.5, Ags.19, Knr.1 1954). Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1729 C. D. Bentinck Dornoch (1926) 289:
Robert Lithgow, wright, was instructed to erect one "in the North Isle of the Church of Dornoch . . . not above twenty two Shilling Sterling nor yet below that summe, and gilt the same black."Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 27:
A Roman urn, wi' siller labs, An' China ware, wi' giltet gabs.
2. intr. To become yellow; esp. of fish in the early stages of decay: "such fish are said to be gilted" (Bwk.3 1954). Cf. Gild, v.1Sc. 1707 Records Conv. Burghs (1880) 429:
As to the salmond barrell, experience hes proven that the fish keep much better and more free from gilting in a lesser then a greater bind.Peb. 1843–5 Trans. Highl. Soc. 52:
When a few fleeces which have been saturated with natural or artificial yolk are thrown into a batch of clean wool, they never fail to prevent it gilting, or assuming a yellow tint of colour during the process of manufacture.
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"Gilt v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/gilt_v>
