Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1706-1740, 1816-1952
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NEEDCESSITY, n. Also needsesity, -secity, -sesaty (Wgt. 1749 Session Bk. Glasserton MS. (14 Feb.)).
1. Necessity, need (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Fif. 1886 S. Tytler St. Mungo's City xxx.; Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters xii.; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; m.Sc., Uls. 1963). Also in Eng. dial. and U.S. Adj. needcessitous. Ppl.adj. needcessited, obliged, forced.Rnf. 1706 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) 193:
When neither the circumstances of poverty nor needcessity can tempt to sick heinous cryme.Slg. 1740 Trans. Slg. Arch. Soc (1926) 48:
Considering the needsecity of the poor of the trade.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xxxiii.:
I'se . . . see if I canna get some o' our ain folk to bring help in time of needcessity.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail ii.:
No living soul can have a greater compassion than mysel' for gentle blood come to needcessity.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail xi.:
The gudeman has been needcessited to pay for twa sets o' mournings.s.Sc. 1839 Wilson's Tales of the Borders V. 265:
The blessin o' the poor and the needcessitous.Per. 1897 C. M. Stuart Sandy Scott's Bible Class 81:
Ye maun just be like the apostle Paul, and glory in your needcessities.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xii.:
Bleeze awa' about the needcessity o' speed in the guid cause.ne.Sc. 1952 John R. Allan North-East Lowlands of Scotland (1974) 191:
"There's a thing that happens, though you are not o a family to understand it, but married men hae sometimes a difficulty o putting their wives wi a bairn. Now there are ways in siccan a mechanter. Sometimes it's the man that's no on his mettle and a diet o good green kale can kittle him. The Minister o Marnoch had kale in his yard that folk came twenty mile for in their needcessity, and it kept up the baptisings at a steady trade: aye, it did that. . . ."
2. In pl.: the necessities of day-to-day existence (Uls. 1953 Traynor, Uls. 1963).Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock xxiii.:
It may be jeedged but fair the auld captain sud contreebit to the needcessities o' the hoose.
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"Needcessity n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/needcessity>
