north. dial. and Sc. Forms: 4–6 ka, 5 kaa, 6 ca, kay, ke, 5, 8– kae. [Northern form of ME. CO, corresponding to MDu. ca, ka(e (Du. ka), OHG. chaha, châ (MHG. kâ), Da. kaa, Norw. kaae. The direct source may have been an ON. *ká, kǭ. Cf. CHOUGH.] A jackdaw. Also fig.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 1539. Some gas hypand als a ka.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 191. Crawis and Cais, that cravis the corne.
1483. Cath. Angl., 200/1. Ka (A. Kae), monedula.
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 5241, direct., An Crow or ane Ke salbe castin vp, as it war his saull.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), II. 450. Kayis and piottis, clekit thair birdis in winter.
1786. Burns, Earnest Cry & Prayer, xxiv. In spite o’ a’ the thievish kaes That haunt St. Jamie’s!
1876. Smiles, Sc. Natur., ii. (ed. 4), 25. At last he brought with him … a Kae, or jackdaw.
b. Comb., as kae-witted a.
1837. R. Nicoll, Poems (1843), 104. He maun been but a kae-witted bodie!
