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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

QUEY, n. (Ork., Cai., Abd., Arg., Ayr. 2000s). Also quei, qui(e); qu(o)y; coey (Bnff. 1750 V. Gaffney Lordship Strathavon (S.C.) 282); coy, cowy; quay; quhey, quhway; why (Ork. 1929 Marw.), dim. whyoo (Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 320, Ork. 1975). Deriv. and dim. forms quea (Sh. 1775 Diary J. Mill (S.H.S.) 44), queyo(o) (Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie Benjie's Bodle 161); queyock, -och, -ag (Cai.); queack, -ock, quai(ac)k (ne.Sc.); quaig, quaeg (Sh.); quoyack, -ach, -ock, quoick; whaig, whack, whaik, wheyg, hweg (Sh.); double dim. qua(i)kie. [m. and s.Sc. kwɑe; n.Sc. + ‡koɪ, kwe(ə)k] A heifer, a young cow, “of any age up to three years or until she has had a calf” (Sc. 1902 E.D.D.). Comb. quey calf, a female calf (Sc. 1808 Jam.), -stirk.Ork. 1710 P. Ork. A.S. XII. 57:
Sixteen kyne and queyocks.Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 59:
Quey caffs are dear veal.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 121:
A new-bull'd quoy, gaing three, a berry-brown.Bnff. 1774 V. Gaffney Lordship Strathavon (S.C.) 90:
Janet McDonald of Monaltrie . . . did not escape with her one "cowy".Ayr. 1786 Burns Halloween xxvi.:
The Deil, or else an outler Quey, Gat up an' gae a croon.Sc. 1819 Scott H. Midlothian xxviii.:
Ye might try it on the bauson-faced year-auld quey.Arg. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Evid. IV. 3048:
Young animals under three years, heifers, stots, and queys.ne.Sc. 1910 Scottish Studies III. 202:
Gie the tane tae the lassie, an' the tither tae the laddie. An' the quakie tae yer nainsel, John.Uls. 1923 J. Logan Uls. in X-Rays 76:
Everyone may not know that a “quy” is a heifer or young cow.Sh. 1948 New Shetlander (Jan.–Feb.) 9:
Da whaig got better and lived to become a healthy cow.Ayr. 1964 Kilmarnock Standard (2 May) 1:
19 Cows, Spring and recently Calved, Summer and Back-Calving, 12 Queys served, 7 Queys for service, 6 Quey Stirks, 1 Bullock Stirk, 3 Ayrshire Quey Calves.Arg. 1992:
Thir brothers, they went tae Laggan an stole a quey, wan o the Laggan's coos, an they killt it.