Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1721, 1788, 1913
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HANTY, adj. Also haunty.
1. Convenient, handy (Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems II. (S.T.S.) Gl.; w.Sc. 1825 Jam.).Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 180:
Thon was the hantiest biel, in truth, That e'er I saw.Sc.(E) 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i.viii:
We maun loe a' men, bot it isna haunty tae be owre thick wi' thame.
Hence adv. hantily, conveniently.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 209:
Baith hantily and cantily Your Supplicant shall sing.
2. Easily managed (Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems, Gl.); “often applied to an animal” (Sc. 1825 Jam.).
3. Handsome (Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. Gl.).wm.Sc. 1788 R. Galloway Poems 214:
I ne'er get a touzle at a', But Lizie they think far mair hanty.
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"Hanty adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hanty>
