haafn.
/hɑːf/, U.S. /hɑf/, Scottish English /hɔf/ In Shetland and Orkney: The deep or main sea: now used only in connection with deep-sea fishing; hence, the part of the deep-sea frequented by fishermen; deep-sea fishing ground or station.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [noun] > ocean, open sea, or deep sea
room seaeOE
seawaya1000
the deepc1000
deptha1382
oceana1387
mid-sea?a1425
profound?a1425
main seaa1530
high seas1566
main1579
main flood1596
the deep1598
deep sea1626
dipsey1626
mid-ocean1697
blue water1803
haaf1809
salt chuck1868
wide1916
1809 A. Edmondston View Zetland Islands I. 237 The boats set off for the fishing ground, which is called the haaf, from 10 o'clock a.m. to 2 o'clock of the afternoon.
1821 W. Scott Pirate I. vi. 138 The careful skipper will sleep still enough in the deep haaf.
1844 W. H. Maxwell Wanderings in Highlands & Islands I. xv. 261 The men employed at the haaf, or the fishing-station most distant from the land.
1888 B. Edmondston & J. M. E. Saxby Home of Naturalist 168 On returning from a night's fishing at the haaf.
Compounds
C1. attributive and in other combinations. Pertaining to or employed in the haaf or deep-sea fishing, as haaf-boat, haaf-boy, haaf-fishing.
ΚΠ
1793 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. VII. 693 (Jam.) The first master of a boat to the Ha-af, or ling fishing, from Sansting, is now alive.
1806 P. Neill Tour Orkney & Shetl. 107 (Jam.) Teind has always been exigible on the produce of the haaf fishing.
1844 N. Brit. Rev. 1 359 A crew of four men and a haave-boy.
1856 E. Edmondston Sketches & Tales Shetland Islands iv. 43 Engaged in the deep sea or haff fishing.
1866 Morning Star 17 Aug. 3/3 The ‘haaf’ boats from the island of Unst.
C2.
haaf-eel n. a name of the conger eel.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > subclass Actinopterygii > subdivision Teleostei > [noun] > order Anguilliformes > member of family Congridae (conger)
sea-eelc1050
congerc1300
conger eel1602
eve-eel1813
haaf-eel1880
1880–4 F. Day Fishes Great Brit. & Ireland II. 251 Haaf-eel, a name given to the common conger in the Moray Firth.
haaf-fish n. the great seal, Phoca barbata.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > order Pinnipedia (seal, sea lion, or walrus) > [noun] > family Phocidae > genus phoca > other types of
haaf-fish1808
Ross seal?1844
1808–18 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Haaf-fish, the Great Seal, Phoca barbata.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online September 2022).
<
n.1793