Sc. Also 7, 9 speavie, 9 spaivie, spavy, etc. [Alteration of next.] The spavin. Freq. fig.
1706. in Maidment, Pasquils (1827), 19. The seventh wife Davie, The seventh give him the spavie.
1785. Burns, Inventory, 19. I play’d my fillie sic a shavie, She’s a’ bedevil’d wi’ the spavie. Ibid. (1785), 2nd Ep. to Davie, viii. She’ll never leave ye,… even tho’ limpin’ wi’ the spavie Frae door to door.
a. 1813. A. Wilson, Hogmenae, Poet. Wks. (Belfast ed.), 293. At length the twa carriers appeared, The ne’er a ane then had the spavy.
b. attrib. or as adj. Spavined. rare–1.
1693. in Maidment, Pasquils (1868), 272. Ye spur Your speavie mear too fast.
Hence Spavied a., spavined.
1785. Burns, 1st Ep. to Davie, xi. My spavet Pegasus will limp, Till ance he’s fairly het.
1788. Picken, Poems, 115. The spavy’t creature never thrave, Wi’ a’ his care.
1853. W. Cadenhead, Bon-Accord, 248 (E.D.D.). Just like a spavied horse.
