sungatesadv.
/ˈsʌnɡeɪts/, U.S. /ˈsənˌɡeɪts/, Scottish English /ˈsʌnɡets/ Scottish (now Shetland).
In the direction of the daily movement of the sun across the sky, i.e. clockwise (in the northern hemisphere); = sunways adv. Cf. widdershins adv. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > sun > solar movement > [adverb]
with the sun1584
sungates1596
sunways1662
sunway1775
sunwise1775
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > [adverb] > clockwise
with the sun1584
sungates1596
sunways1662
deasil1771
sunway1775
sunwise1775
clockwise1874
posigrade1975
1596 in J. Stuart Misc. Spalding Club (1841) I. 96 I find it wilbe ane deir yeir; the bled of the corne growis withersones; and quhan it growis sonegatis about, it wilbe ane gude chaip yeir.
1650 in D. C. MacTavish Minutes Synod of Argyll (1943) I. 186 Being informed of a superstitious custome used by the paroachiners of Kilvorow in Craignais in goeing sun-gates about the church before they go in to the kirk.
1879 Shetland Times 20 Sept. 3/5 They paired and proceeded to the house, walking once round it ‘singates’, i.e. sun ways, or from left to right; that was to secure luck to the pair.
1890 J. Service Thir Notandums 100 She was tell't to tak her withershins nine times through a heap o' unwatered yarn, to tak the cat through't sungates aboot as many times again.
1931 J. Nicolson Tales 55 When a boat was taken from its ‘noost’, and put into the water, the bow had to be turned ‘sun-gaets’.
2007 T. Smith & C. Jex Northern Isles 178 If you are doing the circumnavigation in a clockwise direction (‘sungaets’ in Shetland dialect) set off under the bridge.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, January 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1596