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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

MUNELICHT, n. Also muin- (Sc. 1923 Sc. University Verses 38); meen- (Mry. 1883 F. Sutherland Memories 138; Abd. 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert xiv.). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. moonlight. See P.L.D. § 35. Adj. meenlichtie, -y (ne.Sc.), lit by the moon (Abd. 1905 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 272, 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert xvi.).

Sc. form of Eng. moonlight.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 30:
"Mary-Lou's my baby, the gal I love the best."
Ay weel, it bellwavers intil the nicht
an' awa, freith i the muinlicht.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 44:
Aa richt, but there's twa fiky thing. Hou tae hae muinlicht i the chaumer, for Pyramus and Thisby met bi muinlicht, ye ken.

Sc. usages:

1. Sc. combs. and phr.: (1) bred in the moonlight, brought up in the smugghng trade; (2) munelicht flitting, a secret removal during the night. Gen.Sc. Also meenlichtie- (Abd., Ags. 1963); †(3) moon light money, a due paid by fishermen for permission to fish for herring during the second or third quarters of the moon.(1) Ork. 1832 D. Vedder Sketches 61:
[The smuggler's] crew consisted of thirty “crack” hands, who had been bred in the “moonlight” from boyhood.(2) Sc. 1752 Session Papers, Petition W. Macintosh (31 Jan.) 1:
He made a Moon-light Flitting, and first took the benefit of the Sanctuary.Slg. 1792 G. Galloway Poems 49:
They maun tak' to the bent By a sly moon-light flittin'.Sc. 1822 Scott Redgauntlet ii.:
He has e'en made a moonlight flitting, like my lord's ain nevoy.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
Moonlight-flitting. A decampment by night, in the way of carrying off one's goods or furniture, for the purpose of escaping from one's creditors, or from arrestment.Rnf. 1895 J. Nicholson Kilwuddie 182:
He bundled up his clothes and made a “moonlight flitting.”Abd. 1924 M. Argo Janet's Choice I. iv.:
Takkin' a meenlichty flittin', are ye?(3) Sc. 1753–4 Rec. Conv. Burghs (1915) 409, 471:
Some forbid all fishing during the second & third quarters of the moon, by which means a great part of the season is lost both to the fishers & to the publick — and all this only to comply with the steward's ignorant or superstitious prejudices, or to gratify his avarice by the sale of indulgences to such as can pay for them. . . . The preses laid before the committee the scroll of a petition to parliament for redress of the grivances and oppressions under which the open boat herring ffishing does at present labour, under the names of foreland dues, moon light money, and other oppressive exactions.

¶2. A moonlight night.Bnff. 1918 M. Symon Wir Roup 2:
Aul' Cairnies reemisht in a hearse, (Its eese we didna speer, On caul' meenlichts he reested in't, An' nicket aff the deer).