Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
RIV, v.1, n. Also rev. Sh. forms and usages of Rive, v., q.v. [rɪv]
‡I. v. To rend, tear apart (Sh. 1968); specif. of the dawn: tr. to rend the darkness of night, to bring on the day, intr. to break, esp. in phr. da rivin o da dim, dawn, daybreak; with aff, of the sky: to clear.Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 4, 13:
Fae da dim rives till black dayset shü's yaag, yaag, yaagin. . . . Up as da laverock rave da dim, first at da eela for bait.Sh. 1895 Williamson MSS. (3 March):
He's revin aff o da sky noo.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
De laverick rives de dimm, prop. the lark is scattering the summer night, i.e. the lark heralds the dawn by its song.Sh. 1954 New Shetlander No. 40. 7:
Folk rekkit demsells, fur da maar-burds taald dem a da rivin a da dim.
II. n. 1. A tear, rent, rift (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1968); specif. the tearing apart of the darkness, the dawn (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., Sh. 1968). See quot. and Dim.Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 186:
“The riv o' the dim” — the first disappearance of darkness; “The lady hen sings to the riv” — the lark sings to the dawn.Sh. 1949 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 131:
Ettri is the period from midnight to the Dimmriv, or dawn.
2. A cleft, fissure (Sh. 1968); specif. “the lower orifice of a fish's gut” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1968).
3. A “tearing” hurry, great haste (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1968).
[Norw. riv, n., riva, v., (to) tear, O.N. rif, a tearing, rifa, to bear, pull.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Riv v.1, n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Oct 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/riv_v1_n>