airt

[ airt; Scots eyrt ]

noun

1. a direction.

verb (used with object)

1. to point out the way; direct; guide.

airt

/ erθ; ert; ɛət; ɛəθ /

noun

1. a direction or point of the compass, esp the direction of the wind; quarter; region

Word History and Origins

Origin of airt¹

1400–50; late Middle English ( Scots ) a ( i )rt < Scots Gaelic àird point, quarter of the compass; cognate with Greek árdis arrowhead. The borrowing of Scots airt from Scots Gaelic àird is exact since Scots Gaelic d is totally voiceless and àird sounds like English arch

Word History and Origins

Origin of airt¹

C14: from Scots Gaelic aird point of the compass, height

Example Sentences

They kept a wise eye on the cloud formations, summing up the wind, and the strength of it, and what airt it was coming from.

From Literature

Empty the temple, empty the lover, Empty each airt, empty all!

From Project Gutenberg

O a' the airts the wind can blaw I dearly like the west, For there Silurian beds abound, The beds that I lo'e best; There's limestone blue, and sandstone too, Wi' slate and shale between.

From Project Gutenberg

And he waved his hands to the four airts of heaven, and called us to hearken to the hills shaking themselves to pieces.

From Project Gutenberg

We know not in what airt to look for him, for who knows but it may now be afternoon?

From Project Gutenberg