Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1720-1929
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NA, adv.2 Also n(a)e; -nin (redupl. form). The unstressed, gen. enclitic form of No, not, chiefly used with aux. verbs, as canna, dinna, haena, winna, etc., for which see the appropriate v. Before a pa.p. the aux. hae is often absorbed into the -na, as I wadna [-na ha-] dune't. See Hae, v.1 , I. A. 1. Gen.Sc. [Sc. nə, em.Sc. ne]Edb. 1720 A. Pennecuik Helicon 76:
I vow I'd rather giv'n ten Dollars, Before I had nae bred you Scholars.Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 42:
If ye do nae ill dinna ill like, If ye steal no my kail break nae my dike.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 126:
Wha ever's daft the day, it setts na you.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 133:
The Sabbath days was nae com'd in fashion.Sc. c.1783 Young Beichan in Child Ballads No. 53 C. 13:
For I canno win to Burd Isbel, And she kensnae to come to me.Ayr. 1787 Burns Death and Dr Hornbook iii.:
I was na fou, but just had plenty.Sc. 1796 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 770:
Ay, e'en till ye hae ne a sae in a' the warl.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality i.:
Them that shame na to take upon themsells the persecuting name of blude-thirsty tories.Sc. 1849 M. Oliphant M. Maitland xvii.:
It mak's nae, man!Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb x.:
But mithnin he dee wi' the less coontin'.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xxii.:
She cannae stop here.Cai. 1916 J. Mowat Cai. Proverbs 11:
He kens na B fae a bill's feet.Sc. 1929 R. Crawford In quiet Fields 31:
Ye need nae fash.
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"Na adv.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/na_adv2>
