Supplement to the Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language
In Two Volumes.
Vol. I.
John Jamieson, D.D.
Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press;
for W. & C. Tait, 78, Prince's Street;
and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, London.
MDCCCXXV (1825)
ABBIS, s. pi. Surplices, white linen vestments worn by priests.
" Item, ane chesabill of purpour velvot, with the stoyle and fannowne orphis; twa abbis; twa ameittis of Bartane clayth; dornik to be touellis, unschapin; ane belt; twa corporallis." Coll. Inventories, A. 1542, p. 58.
L. B. alba, id. from Lat. albus, white; denominated from the colour. Du Cange remarks, that albas gerere, and esse in albis, or esse albali, were phrases ap plied to the clergy, when they proceeded to perform ecclesiastical functions; and that hence O. Fr. aube was equivalent to ordinatus.
AMEL, s. Enamel. " Her colour outvied the lily and the damask rose; and the amel of her eye, when she smiled, it was im possible to look steadfastly on." Winter Ev. Tales, ii. 8. V. Amaille.
AMERAND, adj. Green, verdant. Add; It is conjectured that this has been written Ameraud; u and n being often mistaken for each other.
AWM, Alum, S.
To Awm, v. a. To dress [skins] with alum, S.
"Awm't leather," white leather, S.
BANNAG, s. A white trout, a sea-trout, Argyles.
This word is incorporated into the English spoken in that district. Gael, ban, white; banag, any thing white.
BEGGAR'S BROWN, the designation commonly given to that light brown snuff which is made of the stem of tobacco, S.; in England generally denominated Scotch Snuff.
BIRSALL, s. A dye-stuff, perjaps for Brasell or Fernando buckwood, Rates. A. 1611.
"Madder, alm, walde, birsall, nutgallis, & coprouss [copperas]." Aberd. Reg. A. 1545, V. 19.
BLA, Blae, adj.
1. Of a livid Colour. Add; A. Bor. " Bloa, black and blue," Thoresby, Ray's Lett. p. 323.
2. Bleak, lurid, applied to the appearance of the atmosphere. A blae day is a phrase used S. when, although there is no storm, the sky looks hard and lurid, especially when there is a thin cold wind that produces shivering. E. bleak seems nearly synon.
An' cause the night wis caul and blae, They ca'd for hame-browst usquebae. Tarras's Poems, p. 51.
"It was in a cauld blae hairst day,—that I—gade to milk the kye." Edin. Mag. Dec. 1818, p. 503.
"A blae ware-time," a bleak spring, Upp. Clydes.
BLACK. To put a thing in black and white, to commit it to writing, S.
"I was last Tuesday to wait on Sr Robert Walpole, who desired, hearing what I had to say, that I would put it in black and white, that he might shew it to his Maj[?]." Lett. Seaforth, Culloden Pap. p. 105.
I question much if Sir R. Walpole literally used this language; rinding no proof of its being an E. phrase.
BLACK, s. A vulgar designation for a low scoundrel, corresponding in sense to the E. adj. black-guard, S.
BLACK-AIRN, s. Malleable iron; in contra distinction "from that which is tinned, called white-airn, S.
BLACKBELICKIT, used as a s. equivalent to E. nothing. What did ye see? Answ. Blackbelickit, i. e. "I saw nothing at all Lanarks." Blackbelicket. Nothing;" Ayrs. Gl. Surv. Ayrs. p. 691.
The word black seems to have been substituted by the decorous inhabitants of my native county for the name of the devil, which is the common prefix in other parts of S. But the latter part of the word seems inexplicable. From the invariable pronunciation with it cannot be supposed that it has any connexion with the idea of likeness or reseblance. Perhaps the most natural conjecture is, that the phrase expresses a persuasion that the adversary of our kind, whose name is deemed so necessary and ornamental an expletive in discourse, should be licked or beaten, as soon as such a thing should take place; for the conjunction if is generally added.
I have sometimes thought that it might contain a foolish allusion to a Lat. phrase formerly used of one who declined giving a vote, Non liquit. Should we suppose that it was originally confined to objects of sight, it might be equivalent to "Ne'er a slyme did I see;" q. not a gleam; Teut. lick-en, nitere. Or, to have done with mere conjecture, shall we view it as a phrase originally expressive of the disappoint ment of some parasite, when he had not found even a plate to lick?
BLACK BITCH, a bag which, in former times at least, was clandestinely attached to the lower part of the mill-spout, that through a hole in the spout, part of the meal might be abstracted as it came down into the trough, South of S.
A worthy proprietor in Roxb. who had never hap pened to hear the phrase, but was extremely careful of the game on his estate, had just settled every thing respecting the lease of his mill, when a third person who was present, said to the miller, "I hope you'll no' keep a black bitch? " " What? " cried the gen tleman, " your bargain and mine's at an end; for I'll not allow any person on my property to keep sporting dogs."
BLACK-BOOK, s. The name given to "the several histories, written by our monks in their different Monastrys;" Spott. MS. Diet, in vo.
"In all our monastrys," he says, " there were keepit three books or records. 1°. Their Chartulary, or register, containing the records relating to their privat securities. 2°. Their Obituarys, wherein were related the times of the death and places of interment of their chief benefactors, Abbots, Priors, and other great men of their respective houses. 3°. Their Black-Book, containing an account of the memorable-things which occurred in every year."
"David Chambers, one of the senators of the Colledge of Justice in the reign of Queen Mary, who wrote in French an abridgement of the Historys of England, Scotland, and France,—in his preface says, that he had many great historys of the Abbacies, such as that of Scone called the Black-Book, and of other like chronicles of Abbays, as that of Inch-colm and Icolmkill," &c.
"So named," he adds, " from the cover; or rather from the giving an impartial account of the good and bad actions of our nobles, and others whohave distin guished themselves in the service of their country."
It is not likely that this register would be exclu sively called the black book from its cover, unless it could be proved that the other two were invariably bound in a different manner. Nor is it more proba ble that the name originated from its being a record of " the good and bad actions of our nobles," &c.
For in this case we must suppose it was almost exclusively confined to bad actions.
It might perhaps be thus denominated from its being wholly written with black ink, in distinction from the Rubrics, denominated from the use of red, and the Psalters, &c. which had usually red letters interspersed, and illuminations.
We learn from Carpentier, that in a charter dated at Vienne, in France, A. 1362, the terms Black and Red were used to distinguish the text of the law from the commentary on it Nigrum appellari videtur textus legis, Rubrum vero commentatio in textum.
BLACK COCK. To mak a Black Cock of one, to shoot one, S; as in E. to bring down one's bird.
"The Mac-Ivors, Sir, hae gotten it into their heads, that ye hae affronted their young leddy, Miss Flora; and I hae heard mae nor ane say they wadna tak muckle to mak a black cock o' ye: and ye ken yeresell there's mony o' them wadna mind a bawbee the weising a ball through the Prince himsell, an the chief gae them the wink." Waverley, iii. 132.
BLACK COW.
The black com on your foot ne'er trod, Which gars you sing alang the road. Herd's Coll. ii. 120.
Auld luckie cries ye're o'er ill set— Ye kennae what may be your fate In after days; The black cow has nae trampel yet Upo' your taes. The Fanner's Ha', st. 38. V. Black Ox.
BLACKCRAP, s. 1. A crop of pease or beans, S.
2. A name given to those crops which are always green, such as , turnips, potatoes, &c. M. Loth.
"The dung forced the crop of wheat, and this succeeded by the black crop, which seldom failed to prosper, left the land in a fine heart for barley." Agr. Surv. M. Loth. p. 89.
BLACK DOG. "Like butter in the black dog's hause," a Prov. used to denote what is irrecoverably gone, S. V. Kelly, p. 236.
"There wad hae been little speerings o't had Dustansnivel ken'd it was there—it wad hae been butter in the black dog's hause." Antiquary, ii. 192.
BLACK-FASTING, adj. Applied to one who has been long without of any kind of food. It is sarcastically said of a person who has got a bellyful, "I'm sure he's no black-fastin'," S.
"If they dinna bring him something to eat, the puir demented body has never the heart to cry for aught, and he has been kenn'd to sit for ten hours thegither, black fasting." St. Ronan, ii. 6l.
I know not if it had been originally meant to include the idea expressed by the language of scripture, Lam. v. 10, "Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine."
BLACKFISHER, s. One who fishes under unight, illegally, S. Aberd. Reg. Cent. 16.
"Ye took me siblins for a blackfisher it was gaun tae ginle the chouks o' ye, whan I harl't ye out tae the stenners." Saint Patrick, iii. 42. V. Black-fishing.
BLACKFOOT, Blackfit, s. A matchmaker. Add; 95
"I could never have expected this intervention of a proxeneta, which the vulgar translate blackfoot, of such eminent dignity,' said Dalgarnock, scarce con cealing a sneer." Nigel, iii. 237.
"I'm whiles jokin' an' tellin' her it's a stound o' love: —now thinkin' ye might be black-fit, or her secretar, I was just wissin', o' a' things, to see ye a wee gliff, that I micht targe ye." Saxon and Gael, i. 161.
BLACK FROST, frost without rime or snow lying on the ground, as opposed to whitefrost, which is equivalent to E. hoar frost.
BLACK-HUDIE, s. The coal-head, a bird. Roxb. Black-bannet, synon. Clydes. This seems equivalent to black-head; A. S. blac niger, and heofod caput.
[--]
BLACKLEG, s. The same disease in cattle with the Black spaul, Ettr. For.
"There was I sitting beside him, gnawing at— the sinewy hip of some hateful Galloway stott that had died of the blackleg." Perils of Man, ii. 348.
BLACK-LEG, s. A matchmaker; synon. Blackfoot, Ettr. For.
BLACKLIE, adj. Ill coloured, or having a dirty appearance; often applied to clothes that are illwashed, or that have been soiled in drying, Ang. From A. S. blac, blaec, and lig similis; q. having the likeness of what is black.
BLACK MILL, the designation unaccountably given to a miln of the ancient construction, having one wheel only, Argyles.
"There are—8 cornmills; where of 3 are of the ancient simple construction, in which there is but one wheel, and it lying horizontally in the perpen dicular, under the millstone; so that the water to turn it, must come through the house. These are called black mills." P. Kilninian, Stat. Acc. Scotl.
xiv. 149.
BLAC MONE, Black money, the designation given to the early copper currency of S. in the reign of Ja. III.
"That thar be na deneris [deniers] of Franss, mailyis, cortis, mytis, nor nain vthir conterfetis of blac mone tane in payment in this realme bot our souerane lordis awne blac mone strikkin & prentit be his cunyouris." Acts Ja. III. 1469, Ed. 1814, p. 97.
BLACK-NEB, s. One viewed as disaffected to government, S.
"Take care, Monkbarns; we shall set you down among the black-nebs by and by." " No, Sir Arthur, a tame grumbler I —I only claim the privilege of croaking in my own corner here, without uniting my throat to the grand chorus of the marsh." Antiquary, ii. 128.
"Little did I imagine—that I was giving cause for many to think me an enemy to the king and go vernment.—But so it was. Many of the heritors considered me a black-neb, though I knew it not."
Ann. of the Par. p. 269.
BLACK-NEBBET, BLACK-NEBBIT, adj. 1. Literally, having a black bill, S.
2. Applied to those who are viewed as democratically inclined, or inimical to the present govern ment, S.
That this term had been used, in relation to public matters, more than a century and a half ago, appears from the following passage.
—" Neither do I desire to incur the displeasure of the inhabitants of the myre of Meagle, who are governed by a synod of black-nebbed geese; besides, I know the danger it's to jest with wooden-witted dolts, that have the seams of their understanding on the out-side of their noddles." Mercur. Caled. Jan. 1661, p. 3.
BLACK OX. The black oxis said to tramp on one who has lost a near relation by death, or met with some severe calamity, S.
"I'm fain to see you looking sae weel, cummer, the mair that the black ox has'tramped on ye since I
was aneath your roof-tree." Antiquary, iii. 227.
"The black ox never trod on your foot," S. Prov. This is more generally expl. by Kelly; " You never had the care of a family upon you, nor was press'd with severe business or necessities." S. Prov. p. 327.
BLACK PUDDING, a pudding made of the blood of a cow or sheep, inclosed in one of the intestines, S.
The dispute, you must understand it, Was, which of them had the best blood, When both, 'tis granted, had as good As ever yet stuff'd a black pudding. Meslon's Poems, p. 115.
This dish was much used by our forefathers. It is thus denominated to distinguish it from a white pudding, made of meal, suet, and onions, stuffed in a similar manner. The Swedes had a dish resem bling the former. For swartsod signifies broth made of the blood of a goose, literally "black porridge."
BLACK-QUARTER, s. A disease of cattle, apparently the same with Black Spaul, S.
"In former times, superstition pointed out the following singular mode of preventing the spreading of this distemper: When a beast was seized with the black-quarter, it was taken to a house where no cattle were ever after to enter, and there the ani mal's heart was taken out while alive, to be hung up in the house or byre where the farmer kept his cattle; and while it was there, it was believed that none of his cattle would be seized with that distem per." Agr. Surv. Caithn. p. 203.
BLACK SAXPENCE, a sixpence, supposed by the credulous to be received from the devil, as a pledge of an engagement to be his, soul and body. It is always of a black colour, as not being legal currency; but it is said to possess this singular virtue, that the person who keeps it constantly in his pocket, how much soever he spend, will always find another sixpence beside it, Roxb.
BLACK-SOLE, s. A confident in courtship, Lanarks. Synon. with Blackfoot.
"Blacksole, assistant at courtship." Gl. Surv. Ayrs. p. 691.
BLACK SPAUL, a disease of cattle. Add;
A singular mode of cure is used in some parts of the Highlands.
—"The black-spald had seized all the cattle of the glen; we came all down to old Ronald's house in Bealach-nan-creach (the pass of spoils) to make the forcedJire.—When the cattle of any district were seized with this fatal distemper, the method of cure or privention was to extinguish all the domestic fires, and rekindle them by forced fire caught from sparks emitted from the axle of the great wool-wheel, which was driven furiously round by the people as sembled." Clan-Albin, ii. 239.
BLACK-STANE, Blackstone, s. The designation given to a dark-coloured stone, used in some of the Scottish universities, as the seat on which a student sits at an annual public examination, meant as a test of the progress he has made in his studies during the preceding year, S. This examination is called his Profession.
"It is thought fit that, when students are examined publicly on the Black-staine, before Lammas;
and, after their return at Michaelmas, that they be examined in some questions of the catechism." Acts Commiss. of the Four Universities, A. 1617. Bower's Hist. Univ. Edin. i. 222.
It appears from this extract, that then they were publicly examined twice a-year. The origin of the students being examined on what is called the Black-stane, is involved in great obscurity. It seems to have been originally intended as a mark of respect to the founder of the college, and most probably may be traced to some ancient ceremony of the Romish church. The custom of causing the students to sit on the grave-stone of the founder, at certain examinations, is still literally re tained in King's College, Aberdeen, and in Glasgow. In Edinburgh and in Marischal Colleges, there are no similar stones to sit upon; but these examinations continue to be called in the latter The Black-stone Lesson." Bower, ibid. p. 284.
The author, after referring to the coronation of our kings at Scone, and still at Westminster, on a
stone of a similar description, adds, "Can these cere monies be traced to the same or to a similar source?" But the resemblance seems to be merely accidental.
2. The term, it appears, has been used metaph. to denote the examination itself.
"The fourth and last yeir of our course,—we learned the buiks de coelo and meteors, also the sphere more exactly teachit by our awin regent, and maid ws our vicces and blackstotts, and had at Pace our promotion and finishing of our course." Melville's Diary, Life of A. Melville, i. 231.
Hoffman, vo. Tumulus, observes that, in ancient times, every one before death fixed on the place of his interment, which he marked with a black stone.
This circumstance seems favourable to the idea that the black stone profession was originally connected with the grave-stone of the founder.
BLACK SUGAR, Spanish Licorice, S.
BLACK TANG, Fucus vesicolosus, Linn.
BLACK VICTUAL, pulse, pease and beans, ei ther by themselves, or mixed as a crop, S.
BLACK WARD, a state of servitude to a servant, S.
"You see, sir, I hold in a sort of black ward te nure, as we call it in our country, being the servant of a servant." Nigel, i. 45.
"Black ward, is when a vassal holds immediately ward of the King, and a subvassal holds ward of that vassal. This is called Black ward or ward upon ward. M'Kenzie's Instit. p. 92." Spottiswoode's MS. Law Divt.
BLACK-WATCH, the designation generally given to the companies of loyal Highlanders, raised after the rebellion in 1715, for preserving peace in the Highland districts.
They constituted the nucleus of what was after wards embodied as the 42d Regiment, since so justly celebrated for their prowess; and received the epi thet of Black, from the dark colour of their tartan habiliments.
"To tell you the truth, there durst not a Low-lander in all Scotland follow the fray a gun-shot be yond Bally-brough, unless he had the help of the Sidier Dhu.' 'Whom do ye call so? ' 'The Sidier Dhu? the black soldier; that is, what they called the independent companies that were raised to keep peace and law in the Highlands.—They call them Sidier Dhu, because they wear the tartans; as they call your men,—King George's men,—Sidier Roy, or red soldiers." Waverley, i. 276, 277.
—"Girnigo of Tipperhewet, whose family was so reduced by the ensuing law-suit, that his representa tive is now serving as a private gentleman-sentinel in the Highland Black Watch" Ibid. i. 136.
—"They applied to the governor of Stirling castle, and to the major of the Black Watch; and the gover nor said, it was too far to the northward, and out of his district; and the major said, his men were gone home to the shearing, and he would not call them out before the victual was got in for all the Cramfeezers in Christendom." Ibid. p. 279.
"This corps—was originally known by the name of the Freicudan Du, or Black Watch.—This—appellation—arose from the colour of their dress, and was applied to them in contradistinction to the regular troops, who were called Red Soldiers, or Seidaran Dearag. From the time that they were embodied, till they were regimented, the Highlanders continued to wear the dress of their country. This, as it consisted so much of the black, green, and blue tartan, gave them a dark and sombre appearance in comparison with the bright uniform of the regulars, who at that time had coats, waistcoats, and breeches of scarlet cloth. Hence the term Du, or Black, as applied to this corps." Col. Stewart's Sketches, i. 240.
Another reason has been assigned for this desig nation, but without sufficient ground.
"The Highlanders were first called into the service of their country shortly after 1715, at which time they only consisted of two companies, and were to act, as fencible men, against those who Committed de predations in the various counties of the Highlands.—They obtained the name of Black Watch, from giving protection to property against levying of black maill." Depred. on the Clan Campbell, p. 119, 120.
BLACK WEATHER, rainy weather, Selkirks. synon. with black weet, the phrase used in Angus, to distinguish a fall of rain from snow.
BLACK-WINTER, s. The last cart-load of grain brought home from the harvest-field, Dumfr.
Thus denominated, perhaps, because this must be often late in the season, and closely followed up by the gloom of winter.
BLAE, Blay, s. The rough parts of wood.] Add;
Norw. blæe, "what is hacked small in woods; " Hallager.
To Look Blae, to look blank, or to have the appearance of disappointment, S. Hence to have a blae countenance.
"Be in dread, O! Sirs, some of you will stand with a blae countenance before the tribunal of God, for the letters you have read, of the last dash of Providence that you met with." M. Bruce's Soul-Confirmation, p. 11.
This, however, may signify a livid aspect, as the effect of terror.
BLAE, A kind of blue-coloured clay, pretty hard, or soft slate, found as a substratum. It differs from Till, as this comes off in flakes, whereas the blae is compact, S. O.
"Plenty of stones, and of what is called blae (which is a kind of soft slate), hard copse or brush wood, and other suitable substances can generally be procured for filling drains." Agr. Surv. W. I si. p. 149.
Blaes, mentioned under Blae, seems to be merely the plur. of this s. But according to the definition here given, it cannot properly signify lamina of stone; nor be traced to Germ, bleh, thin leaves or plates. More probably the substance is denominated from its colour.
BLAEBERRY, s. The billberry, S.] Add; The Dutch name has the same signification; blaawbessen, bill-berries, hurtleberrie; Sewel.
Blamaking, s. The act of discolouring, or making livid, by a stroke. "Conwict [convicted] for the blud drawing, bla-making & strublens. Aberd. Reg. A. 1538, V. 16.
BLANCHE, s. The mode of tenure by what is denominated blanch farm, or by the payment of a small duty in money or otherwise. Hence the phrase Fre Blanche.
—" To be halden of ws & oure successouris—in fre barony and fre blanche nochtwithstanding ony
oure actis or statutis maid or tobe maid contrare the ratificatioun of charteris of blanchis or tallies," &c. Acts Ja. V. 1540, Ed. 1814, p. 379.
"Blanch holding is generally defined to be, that in which the vassal pays a small duty to the superior, in full of all services, as an acknowledgement of his right, either in money, or in some other subject, as a penny money, a pair of gilt spurs, a pound of wax, or of pepper, &c. nomine albae firmae." Ersk. Inst. B. ii. tit. 9. sec. 7.
It is supposed that this term originated from the substitution of payment in white or silver money, in stead of a duty in the produce of the land. For the term Albus was used in the same sense with moneta argentea. This was in Fr. rendered blanc; and was particularly transferred to a small kind of white money formerly current in France. V. Du Cange, vo. Albus; Firma Alba; and Spelm. vo. Firma.
BLAUGH, adj. Of a bluish or sickly colour, Roxb. This appears to be the same with Blaucht, q. v.
BLEARED, Bleer'd, part. pa. Thin and of a bluish colour. Milk that is skimmed, is denominated bleared, Roxb.
"He went in to his supper of thin bleared sowins, amid his confused and noisy family, all quarrelling about their portions." Hogg's Wint. Tales, i. 335, 1. e. thin flummery. V. Bleirie.
BLENCH-LIPPED, part. adj. Having a white mouth.
She was lang-toothed, an' blench-lippit, Haem-houghed, an' haggis-fittit, Lang-neckit, and chaunler-chaftit, An' yet the jade to dee! The auld man's mare's dead, &c. Mileaboon Dundee; Edin. Mag. June 1817, p. 238.
It seems the same with what is now vulgarly called pench-mou'd, having a white mouth, a deformity in a horse or mare. Fr. blanc, blanche, white.
BLUE, adj. 1. A blue day, a very chill, or frosty day, Roxb.
This is perhaps synon. with "a blae day" in other parts of S.
2. A blue day, a day in which any uproar or disturbance has taken place, ibid.
3. To look blue. V. Blew.
BLUE-BANNET, s. The Blue Titmouse, Parus caeruleus, Linn., Clydes.
The Sw. name is blaamees. This, I suspect, has been originally blaamyssa, i. e. blue cap, synon. withour designation.
BLUE BLANKET, the name given to the banner of the Craftsmen in Edinburgh.
"As a perpetual remembrance of the loyalty and bravery of the Edinburghers on the aforesaid occasion, the King [Ja. III.] granted them a banner or standard, with a power to display the same in defence of their king, country, and their own rights. This flag, at present denominated the Blue Blanket, is kept by the Conveener ofthe Trades." Maitl. Hist. Edin. p. 9.
"The Crafts-men think we should be content with their work how bad soever it be; and if in any thing they be controuled, up goes the Blue Blanket." K. Ja. Basilicon Dor. V. Pennecuik's Hist Acc. Bl. Blanket, p. 27, 28.
The origin of this banner has indeed been carried much farther back than to the reign of James III., when the inhabitants of Edinburgh greatly contributed to the restoration of this prince to liberty. It has been said, that "vast numbers of Scots mechanicks,"who having joined in the Croisade under Godfrey of Bouillon, took "with them a banner, bearing this inscription out of the LI. Psalm, In bona voluntale tua edificentur muri Jerusalem, upon their returning home, and glorying" in their good fortune, "dedicated this banner, which they stil'd, The Banner of the Holy Ghost, to St. Eloi's altar in St. Giles's church in Edinburgh; which, from its colour, was called The Blue Blanket." Pennecuik, p. 5.
We are also informed that "in the dark times of Popery," it was "held in such veneration, that when ever mechanicks were artfully wrought upon by the clergy, to display their holy Colours, it serv'd for many uses, and they never fail'd of success in their at tempts." Ibid. p. 7.
It is even asserted that, on the Conveener's "appearance therewith,—not only the artificers of Edinburgh, but all the artisans or craftsmen within Scotland, are bound to follow it, and fight under the Conveener of Edinburgh." Maitl. ut sup. p. 10.
Pennecuik ascribes this ordinance to James V., adding, that "all souldiers in the King's pay, who had been educate in a trade," were bound to "repair to that standard, and fight under the command of their General." Hist. p. 63.
BLUE BLAUERS, Blue Blavers, the plant failed Bell-flower, or wild blue Campanula, or Rotundifolia, Roxb; The Blue Bells of Scotland, as in old song. V. Blawort.
BLUE BONNETS;] Dele Bluebottles and what follows. Define; The flower of Scabiosa succisa, Linn. It is also called Devil's Bit, E, the end of the root being as it were bitten off. Hence the trivial name of succisa. This corresponds with Sw. diefwuls-bett, Seren.
This seems the same with Blue-Bannets, Lanarks. expl. Sheep's-bit.
BLUEFLY, the common name of the Flesh Fly, or Bluebottle, S.
BLUE-GRASS, Blue-geese, s. The name given to the various sedge-grasses, or Carices, S. O.
"Carices, sedge-grasses, abound in all parts of the county of Ayr, wherever too much moisture is detained. This tribe of plants are [r. is], by the Ayr shire farmers, called blue, sour one-pointed grasses. They have a light bluish colour, an acid taste, and like all the other grasses I have met with, their leaves have only one point." Agr. Surv. Ayrs. pp. 304. 305.
BLUE SEGGIN, the blue flower-de-luce, Ayrs. V. Seo, Segg, s.
BLUE-SPALD, s. A disease of cattle; supposed to be the same with the Blackspaul.
"If the cattle will die of the Blue-spald, what can I help it? You can sprinkle them yourself for the evil-eye." Saxon and Gael, i. 152.
BONNET. Blue Bonnet. This, in former times, in Teviotd. at least, was used as a charm, especially for warding of the evil influence of the fairies.
"An unchristened child—was considered as in the most imminent danger, should the mother, while on the straw, neglect the precaution of having the blue bonnet worn by her husband constantly beside her. When a cow happened to be seized with any sudden disease, (the cause of which was usually ascribed to the malignant influence of the fairies,) she was said to be elf-shot, and it was reckoned as much as her life was worth not to 'dad her wi' the blue bonnet.'— 'It's no wordie a dad of a bonnet' was a common phrase used when expressing contempt, or alluding to any thing not worth the trouble of repairing." Edin. Mag. April 1820, p. 344-5.
BOTANO, s. A piece of linen dyed blue.
"Botanos or peeces of linnin litted blew, the peece — iii 1." Rates, A. l6ll.
"Botanoes or blew lining." Rates, A. 1670.
Fr. boutant, etoffe qui se fait a Montpelier. Panni species. Diet. Trev.
BRANDED, Buannit, adj. Having a reddishbrown colour, &c. Add;
This term occurs also in our Acts of Parliament.
"Ther wes robbed & away taken violently be the fornamed persons,—the number of nyntie-four labouring oxen, some blak, others branded, broun coloured," &c. Acts Cha. II. 1661, VII. 183.
BRAWNY, Brauny, s. A cow, ox, or bull, that has its skin variegated with black and brown streaks; also brawnit, id. Galloway.
He views the warsle, laughing wi' himsel Atseeing auld Brawny glowr, and shake his nools. Davidson's Seasons, p. 45.
Now brawny aft wad leave the craft, An' wander by hersel'. Cropping the blade upo' the stream, To where she lov'd sae well. Ibid. p. 49.
Germ. braun, brown. Braun in compounds denotes a blackish colour; Wachter. Braun-rot, rubrum nigricans. V. Branded, Brannit.
BROWN, adj. To play brown, or to boil brown, a phrase applied to the broth-pot, when it is meant to say that the broth is rich, as containing a sufficient portion of animal juice, S.
"Did she [the supposed witch] but once hint that her pot 'played nae brown,' a chosen lamb or a piece of meat was presented to her in token of friendship. She seldom paid rent for her house, and every young lad in the parish was anxious to cast her peats; so that Kimmer, according to the old song, 'lived cantie and hale." Remains of Nithsdale Song, p. 289.
Yere big brose pot has nae played brown Sin' the Reaver Rade o' gude Prince Charlie. Ibid. p. 102.
BROWN JENNET or JANET. 1. A cant phrase for a knapsack, S.
Aft at a staun what road to tak, The debtor grows a villain, Lugs up Brown Jennet on his back To hunt her smile by killin' Our faes, this day. Pickett's Poems, 1788, p. 158.
2. Brown Janet is also expl. as signifying "a musket." Pickets Gl. 1813.
BROWN MAN ofthe Moors, "adroich, dwarf, or subterranean elf Gl. Antiq.
"Brown dwarf, that o'er the muirland strays, Thy name to Keeldar tell! "
"The Brown Man of the Muirs, who stays Beneath the heather bell." Leyden's Keeldar, Border Minstr. ii. 394.
"The Brown Man of the Muirs, is a fairy of the most malignant order, the genuine duergar. Walsingham mentions a story of an unfortunate youth, whose brains were extracted from his skull, during his sleep, by this malicious being. Owing to this operation, he remained insane for many years, till the Virgin Mary courteously restored his brains to their station." Ibid, p. 390.
BULL, s. Black Bull of Norroway, a scare crow used for stilling children, Ang.
"Here Norotvay is always talked of as the land to which witches repair for their unholy meetings.— A child is kept quiet by telling it the Black Bull of Noroway shall take it." Edin. Mag. Feb. 1818, p. 11.
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