Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PICKMAW, n. Also pickiemaw, picky-. The black-headed gull, Larus ridibundus (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Sc. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ayr., s.Sc. 1965); also pick-sea-maw, pixie-maw (Watson, Rxb. 1965), and pick-mire (Rxb. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 209), which appears to be orig. an error repeated in various books deriving from Bewick's Brit. Birds (1808) II. 226. Also in form pickie-gow (Mry. 1965), with substitution of Goo, n.2 for Maw, n.2Rxb. 1811 A. Scott Poems 135:
The lav'rock, the peasweep, and skirlin' pickmaw, Shall hiss the bleak winter to Lapland awa.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxv.:
The very pick-maws and solan-geese outby yonder at the Bass hae ten times mair sense!Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chron. (18 June) 3:
The marshland “maw,” or “Picky Maw”.Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 18:
Lintie an laiverok, whaup an houdie craw,
foumart an eimok, houlet, pickmaw,
mowdiewart an horniegollach, brok an tod anaw;
sum gait, thai'r littil sib til Inglish beiss ava.
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"Pickmaw n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 27 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/pickmaw>
