Sod
Source : Wright, Joseph English Dialect Dictionary
web : https://eddonline4-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/main.html
SOD, sb.1, adj.1 and v.1 Sc. Irel. Nhb. Yks. Lan. Chs.
Not. Lei. Nhp. Ken. Also written sodd Sc. (Jam.) Nhb.1;
and in form saud Sc. (Jam. Suppl.) [sod.] 1. sb. In
Comb. (1) Sod-burning, paring the turf and burning it; (2)
Sod-draining, a method of subsoil draining practised before
the introduction of drain-pipes; see below; (3) Sod-heap, a
heap of weeds, sods, &c. laid together for burning; (4)
Sod-seat, a seat of turfs; (5) Sod-sludge, sea-mud used as manure.
(1) Ken. Marshall Review (1817) V. 429. (2) Chs.1 Sod-drains
were constructed in the following manner: ─ The sod was carefully
pared off and laid on one side. A trench was then cut to the
required depth, leaving it about a foot wide at the bottom. Along
the middle of the bottom a channel, nine or ten inches deep and
four or five inches wide, was cut with a narrow rounded spade.
A tool similar to those still in use for the bottoms of drains was
drawn along the channel to level it for the flow of water; and then
this bottom channel was covered with the sod laid grass-side
downwards, and the drain filled up again. These drains were
very effectual and inexpensive... Another method of sod-draining
was to cut a quantity of sods the size and shape of bricks, and
with them to build up a drain at the bottom of the trench exactly
like an ordinary brick drain, covering them as in the other system
with surface sods laid grass-side downwards. (3) n.Yks.1 ‘He
reeks like a sod-heap’; of a person smoking tobacco so diligently
as to envelope himself in smoke. (4) Slk. Jane had sat down on
the sod-seat, Hogg Tales (1838) 72, ed. 1866. (5) Chs.1 Chs.3
2. Phr. (1) on the sod, exactly, ‘to a T’; (2) the old sod,
the old country; (3) to put under the sod, to bury; (4) to
stir off the sod, to move from the place where one is
standing; (5) to turn the sods upon a person, to bury him.
(1) Don. Oh, that's just him ─ that's just Manis on the sod,
MacManus Chim. Corners (1899) 200. (2) Dwn. A'll niver lee the
auld sod agen, Lyttle Ballycuddy (1892) 12. (3) Nhb. Charlie,
who was put under the sod, poor chep, a year come Michaelmas,
Pease Mark o' Deil (1894) 19. (4) w.Yks.1 I wish I may never
stir of't sod [a frequent imprecation]. (5) Don. Padh Mullen's
wife... took only three days to turn the sods upon Padh,
MacManus Bend of Road (1898) 204.
3. A clod, not necessarily turf; a square piece of clay
cut from ploughed land for draining purposes. Not.1,
Lei.1, Nhp.1 4. Obs. A rough saddle made of coarse
cloth or skin stuffed with straw; gen. in pl.
Sc. The generality of farmers, little more than half a century
ago, used sodds for riding (Jam.); Upon a pair of sodds astride,
Colvil Whigs Supplic. (1796) I. 330. Lnk. Auld saddles, sods an'
rugs, there's hardly ane But what appears this day upon the
plain, Muir Minstrelsy (1816) 6. n.Cy. Grose (1790); N.Cy.1
Nhb.1 Originally a sod of heather, or a sod or piece of turf merely;
thence applied to an extemporized saddle of cloth or skin stuffed
with straw.
5. A heavy person; a dead weight. Rxb. (Jam.)
6. adj. Firm, steady; also fig. sedate; careful; respectable.
Sc. (JAM. 7. Phr. (1) to lay sod, to make secure.
Sc. (JAM.); (2) to lie sod, to lie securely, or on a solid foundation.
JAM. 8. v. To lay down sods; to cover with sods.
ne.Sc. I had steppit in frae soddin' a graif, Grant Chron. Keckleton,
30. Lan. I sodded the turf-stack top, Walkden Diary (ed.
1866); (S.W.)
9. To throw sods at a person. w.Yks. (C.C.), s.Lan.1
10. To make solid. Sc. (Jam. Suppl.)
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SOD, v.2, sb.2 and adj.2 Sc. Nhb. Lakel. Yks. Not. Oxf.
Nrf. Sur. Hmp. [sod.] 1. v. To wet, soak. Related
to the v. ‘seethe.’
Nrf. Where wet grass an' rubbidge sod yer trowsers below,
Patterson Man and Nat. (1895) 125.
2. Phr. sod him, may mischief befall him.
w.Yks. Sod him, he can go to ─ (H.L.).
3. sb. In phr. as wet as a sod, soaked through.
Lakel.2, w.Yks. (J.T.)
4. A roll made of coarse flour; a ‘bap.’
Bnff. I ten' my flocks, dine on a sod, Taylor Poems (1787) 42.
Abd. The sod was made of very coarse brownish flour, and was
not very palatable. It was a substitute for breakfast ‘baps’ or
rolls, used by the poor, and was not easily masticated (A.W.).
Rnf. I'd rather hae, an' gin ye please, A butter'd sod Than a'
their fine blawflums o' teas, Picken Poems (1813) I. 129.
5. A sot; a foolish, clumsy fellow.
Nhb.1 He's a greet sod. n.Yks.4 w.Yks. Well, this is a sod
(H.L.). s.Not. What a sod y'are, to do sich a thing! (J.P.K.)
Oxf. Go home to your mother, you silly sod (G.O.). Hmp. (H.R.)
6. adj. Wet, sodden.
Sur.1 The land's all sod. It's no use getting coke just now, it's
all sod.
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SOD, sb.3 Sc. [sod.] The rock dove, Columba livia.
Frf. Swainson Birds (1885) 168.
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SOD, sb.4 Sc. [sod.] A sudden and singular sound
made in a pot or pan whilst being used for cooking. Cf.
sod, adj.3
Gall. It seems to be caused by an exhaustion of air; and is
looked on as a portent, or a warning of death (J.M.).
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SOD, sb.5 Som. [Not known to our correspondents.]
A small nail. (Hall.)
