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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NED, n. A lout, a drunken brawling fellow, a tough (Ags., Gsw. 1975; Bnff., Abd., Ags., Edb., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s).Gsw. 1910 Neil Munro Erchie & Jimmy Swan (1993) 144:
I was vexed for them lions, they would be faur happier scourin' the desert plains o' Africa then sittin' like a lot o' neds at a mairrage party wi' naething to eat. Sc. 1959 Times (18 Dec) 5/3:
He can ... give gloriously funny imitations of Glasgow charwomen, tram drivers, and neds. Gsw. 1964 George Friel The Boy who Wanted Peace (1985) 154:
"...Looked as if he slept in it. To hide his clothes I suppose. A right Glasgow ned." wm.Sc. 1977 William McIlvanney Laidlaw (1985) 15:
'Makes me feel like Saint George. I could give that dragon a terrible laying-on. Lead me to the neds. God. I'll do the rest. ...' Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 48:
ned A criminal or hooligan: "Partick police are on the look-out for two neds who walked out of a local hostelry carrying the Space Invaders machine." Edb. 1991 Gordon Legge In Between Talking about the Football 58:
Watching all the wee kids coming in. The casuals off the buses and the neds in their cars. Coming in to get drunk, get stupid and hopefully get laid.

Deriv.: neddy, coarse, uncultivated, like a ned. Sc. 1994 Daily Record (24 Feb) 12:
After shopping in Glasgow, I boarded a bus home to Riddrie. Two neddy types asked the driver: "Is this bus gaun tae Barlinnie?" - "Aye," said the driver "if it disnae behave itsel'."Gsw. 1998 The List (23 Jan-5 Feb) 14:
'I think people are a bit less intimidating in Edinburgh. You get all these neddy sort of people here and they're quite scary. It's not like that in Edinburgh. ...'Sc. 2003 Independent (7 Feb) 4:
For a self-proclaimed voyeuse, she guards her own privacy, sweetly discouraging enquiries about her single-girl life among the neds ('Do you know that expression? It's very Glasgow. It means a young ruffian but of a very specific kind - socks worn over tracksuit legs, baseball cap worn a certain way. If things start getting rough in a bar, we say, "Let's go, it's getting a bit neddy" ... 'Sc. 2003 Scotsman (17 Sep) 19:
That said, all Glaswegians are unfairly painted here as neddy nyaffs and, to be honest, I don't really mind such stereotyping of us all.Sc. 2004 Aberdeen Evening Express (13 Sep) 16:
And I certainly don't own a neddy Burberry cap. And nor will I, as the designer favourite has stopped making them, such is their horror at the minker link.Sc. 2004 Daily Record (23 Dec) 15:
The Arsenal star set the theme, turning up in a white baseball cap, with ripped jeans and white trainers. He was joined by celebs all determined to make the night as neddy as possible.