Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A cardinal point on the compass.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Point of the compass; direction.
  • To direct or point out the way: as, can you airt me to the school-house?

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb to pick one's way.
  • transitive verb to point out the way; to direct or guide.
  • transitive verb channel into a new direction.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Scotland To guide; to direct.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb channel into a new direction

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English art, from Scottish Gaelic aird, from Old Irish aird, point of the compass.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Scots

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Examples

  • Then he looked into the west "airt," and he thought he saw thereabouts a ring of fiery hue, and within the ring a man on a grey horse.

    The Story of Burnt Njal: the great Icelandic tribune, jurist, and counsellor Unknown

  • But yon divine has another airt from powerful Master Rollock, and Mess David Black, of North Leith, and sic like. —

    The Fortunes of Nigel 2004

  • Stooping, I placed my eye to the tiny slit, and waited impatiently for a gleam of white light that might penetrate from the westward airt which it faced.

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

  • 'The Master rode the airt o' Ladiesdale, 'the head groom had replied, for he was somewhat of a wag.

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

  • Again, in 'Apud Corstopitum' Penchrysa is held to haunt the Roman Wall beside the limestone crags; Tynemouth Priory is thought to be revisited by Prior Olaf whenever the wind stays long in the eastern airt, and the

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

  • Mounting, he let the horse choose his ain gait, and shortly found himself in the airt of Hoddam, whence he rode up to the grassy fells above Solway.

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

  • It was with no shealing welcome, no kind memory of the old nurse even, she met them, but stood under her lintel looking as it were through them to the airt of the country whence they had come.

    Gilian The Dreamer His Fancy, His Love and Adventure Neil Munro

  • Kneeling down he reverently happed him in afresh, then rising with a heart contented, whistled triumphant as a pibroch, and took the airt of

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

  • 'Look' ee 'ere, Miss Zusie, this vowl' ave airt her vut; 'and the small ploughboy I before mentioned came in at the garden gate, holding a hen in his arms.

    Parables from Flowers Gertrude P. Dyer

  • The wind had been continuously for a week in the eastern airt, and a raid from his heathen fellow-countrymen seemed inevitable, since

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

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