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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MIRLIEGO, n, adv.  Also mirligo, mirl(e)y-, mer(r)li- (Sc. 1828 Blackwood's Mag. (Dec.) 914); merrily-, merrili-; mirgly- (Sc. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 371); -gogs, -gigs (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). [′mɪrlɪgo]

1. In pl., vertigo, dizziness, light-headedness, esp. affecting accuracy of sight; fancies, freaks of the imagination; dazzle. Hence i(n) (rarely on) the mirliegoes, in a state of dizziness or vertigo, light-headed, dazzled, confused (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories II. 81; w.Lth. 1930; Bwk.² 1949, mirliegogs).Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 142:
Or else some kittle cantrup thrown, I ween, Has bound in mirlygoes my ain twa een.Kcd. 1822 G. Menzies Poet. Trifles (1827) 109:
A cog o' gude liquor May whyles gar the mirligoes dance in our e'e.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 175:
His een, bein' in the mirligoes, . . . They couldna see for glaiks.Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 75:
What glamour tricks whilk ne'er hae been? What mirleygoes to blin' our e'en?Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 70:
My heid was in the mirligoes — a' thing gaed soomin roun' aboot me.Ags. 1901 W. J. Milne Reminisc. 88:
I saw a sicht 'at gied me the mirligoes i' ma een!Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 187:
They were but the mirligoes of a fleeting hour.Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 84:
A fair fat cast o' aureole throws That blinds them, in its mirlygoes.Per.² 1928:
“Yer een's on the mirleygoes,” viz. eager or greedy or excited to see something. Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 57:
Nae mirligoes stacher the dancer birlin
joy-glaid aneath the licht o the moon

2. In pl.: whims, caprices (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., mirliegigs). See also Gig, n.¹

3. A small spinning wheel (Kcd. 1825 Jam.), prob. one with the flyer set vertically above the wheel. Cf. spinnie s.v. Spin, v. 1 (3).Abd. 1876 R. Dinnie Songs 71:
A muckle wheel, a little wheel, A reel, an' mirliego.

II. adv.  Dizzily.em.Sc.(a) 1991 Kate Armstrong in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 114:
Sea-maws twirl mirligo.
A peat-stack's cowped aroun the door.
Scarts breenge ablow.