Airts

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A direction or quarter of the compass, especially in Scottish usage ; to guide or steer someone toward a particular course
2. A point of the compass or a bearing in a given direction ; to direct or point someone along a chosen route
3. The quarter of the horizon or a compass direction, as used in Scots ; to lead or guide a person or thing in a certain way

Etymology: "Airts" is the third-person singular form of "airt," a Scots verb meaning to direct or guide someone or something in a particular direction. The verb is recorded in Scots, and its use is especially associated with Scottish song and poetry, where it describes a river, a wind, or a person being steered toward a destination, as in the phrase "the wind airts" or "airts the wind." The verb is native to Scots rather than borrowed from standard English, which is why it sounds unfamiliar to many readers. Its close association with Scottish verse has kept it in circulation long after it faded from everyday speech elsewhere in Britain.

Synonyms: direct, guide, steer