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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LUME, n. Also luim; löm, lü(u)m, leum (I.Sc.); lim(m), lam-; liume. I., m. and s.Sc. forms and usages of Eng. loom. For n.Sc. forms see Leem, n.¹ [Sc. løm, lym, lɪm; em.Sc.(a) lem]

1. An implement, tool, instrument, contrivance in gen. (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1808 Jam.). For comb. wark-lume see Wark.Sc. 1823 Scott Q. Durward xv.:
That cleft morion — a bonnet . . . will keep his head better than that broken loom.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 51:
But, will-a-wins! your hands are toom O' chappin-stick and weirlike loom, To batter at the bawd o' Rome.Fif. 1831 Fife Herald (6 Oct.):
Horse Harness, Barn Looms, Girnel, and 500 stones of Hay.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin iv.:
“They wad get the contents o' that lume i' their wames, though!” said Willie, pu'in' oot a muckle horse pistol.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 374:
“There's plenty o' looms at hame,” quo she. “Rab aye likit a routh o' gimmels.”

2. A dish, vessel, receptacle, esp. of the tub, basin or bowl order, a pail (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1961). Combs. brew(ing)-, masking-lume, the tub in which the wort for ale is made, milk-lume, washing-, etc. (Sc. 1808 Jam.).Sc. 1705 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 414:
Payed to robert jonstoune, Couper at Colintoune Kirk for . . . Salarie for mending and upholding the brewing and washing loomes . . . I have agreed with him for upholding all the said loomes till this time 12 month.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 13:
Some said it was the Pith of Broom That she stow'd in her Masking-loom Which in our Heads rais'd sic a Foom.Per. 1747 J. Christie Witchcraft in Kenmore 9:
She advised them to wash and plot their milk looms well.Ags. 1799 Dundee Mag. (July):
In urinals we are highly improved; and from the wooden loom and brown jar we have ascended to the fair cream and clouded China-ware.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxiii.:
That loom's an auld acquaintance o' mine. I could take my aith to that sneeshing-mull amang a thousand.Ags. 1820 Montrose Chron. (12 May):
A good Eight Day Clock, some Dairy Looms, and a parcel of Ash Wood, etc.Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 75:
Ye sonsie looms erst made o' logs — Caups, gockies, bassies, gabie-cogs.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (18 Aug.):
Da grices hae a wye o' rötin' ony löm 'at's empty afore dem, fil hits in wan clatsh o' gutter.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 85:
In merches Clemmie wi' a sap o' watter in a tin luum.

†3. Fig. The sexual parts.Abd. 1746 W. Forbes Dominie Depos'd (1765) 35:
Alas! that e'er my loom I lent That day to thee!ne.Sc. 1832 P. Buchan Secret Songs 108:
If ye lend your loom to me, I'll lend you mine again, O.

4. A weaving loom (Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; I., em.Sc., Kcb., s.Sc. 1961). Dim. lamie.Sc. 1829 R. Chambers Sc. Songs I. 146:
The treddles, Johnnie, 's aul', and the lume is frail and rotten.Ayr. 1842 Children in Trades Report (2) i 23:
On Monday he is to get “a Lamie” to weave.Gsw. 1869 E. Johnston Poems 86:
There was muckle said and dune, Jamie, by mair than ane or twa, To take frae me my limm, Jamie, and get me turned awa.Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Writings 25:
But, haith, afore yer ravelt pirnie Rax upon the wyver's liume.Ork. 1885 W. T. Dennison Peace's Almanac 127:
Woo' on the sheep, claith i' the leum.Sc. 1895 R. Ford Thistledown 3:
The Perthshire man will say that “the spune's on the luim”; and the Glasgow citizen will inform you that “The spin's on the lim.”Rxb. 1957 Scotsman (27 July) 8:
There's a cheery sort o dirdum in the clackin o the luims.

Combs.: (1) lume-breeks, trousers made in a (factory-)loom; (2) loom-shop, see under (3); (3) loom-stance, a place for a loom in a weaver's shop; (4) loom-stead, id.; (5) loom-stoop, one of the posts of a loom.(1) Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 44:
He should a haen his Sabbath pair, Lume-breeks are chackit aye sae sair.(2) Per. 1939 L. Melville Land of Gowrie 43:
Spirits were sold in a shop nearby by Ann Jack, and next to it was a “loom shop,” in which several looms were worked, all of which wove sacking.(3) Sc. 1876 S. R. Whitehead Daft Davie 6:
The shop, containing generally several looms — a loom-stance being often sublet by the householder — was on the other.(4) Sc. 1870 I. Burns Life W.C. Burns 101:
The weaving loomsteads.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 116:
Thomas Beam . . . had left his lumestead when he saw us coming.(5) Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 83:
An' nae worthless story, or vile foutie strain, On that lay or loom-stoops a fittin' could gain.