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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SOOP, v., n. Also soup, supe, swoop, ¶swupe-; and Sh. forms swüp, swöp. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. sweep (Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 27; Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xi.; Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xxvii.; Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 590; Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xxxvi.; Rxb. 1914 Kelso Chronicle (25 Dec.) 4; Bwk. 1943 W. L. Ferguson Vignettes 83; Cai., m. and s.Sc. 1971). See also Swype. [sup; Sh. swøp]

I. v. A. Forms: inf. and pr.t.: as above; pa.t.: soopit (s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 208; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 198). Also in n.Eng. dial., soupit (Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake (1874) 14; Rxb. 1820 Scots Mag. (June) 533; m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 21), soopt (e.Lth. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 121), soupt (Sc. 1820 Scots Mag. (May) 92), swoopit (Sc. 1830 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 413), swüped (Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Tales 90), swüpid (Sh. 1950 New Shetlander No. 20. 26), swüppid (Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 16); pa.p.: soopit (Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xi.), soopet (Sc. 1808 E. Hamilton Glenburnie Concl.), sooped (Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xxxvi.), soopt (Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 293), soupet, swoopit (Sc. 1834 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1856) IV. 85), swupet (s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St. Matthew xii. 44), swöppid (Sh. 1901 Shetland News (16 Mar.)).

B. Usages: 1. As in Eng., to sweep. Deriv. swooper, a brush; phrs.: deil soupet, see Deil, II. 2. (4), let ilka ane soop before their ain door, attend to your own faults rather than those of others (Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 7), soup-the-causey, a scrub, one who would do the meanest thing for money (Fif. 1825 Jam.).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 34:
The meal basie, the feather swooper.Kcb. 1897 66th Report Brit. Ass. 465:
The whisk used for brushing the dry meal off the cakes is called ‘the sooper', and is made of the wing-feathers of domestic fowls.Lnk. 1910 W. Wingate Poems (1919) 72:
It maun be when my curtains hae been new washed white, The sweep mistak's and plumps his sooper doon oor lum.

2. In Curling, tr. and absol.: to sweep (the ice) in the path of a curling-stone in order to assist its progress; with up: to speed (a curling-stone) onwards by so doing. Gen.Sc. Deriv. sooper, the person who sweeps the ice.Lnk. 1805 G. McIndoe Poems 56:
Just break an egg on't — gi'e him days, Supe, supe him up, — another says.Ayr. a.1822 A. Boswell Poet. Wks. (1871) 195:
Soop the rink, lads, wide enough, The hog-scores mak', and mak' ilk brough.Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 72:
While station't an' steady the soopers are ready To keep baith the howe an' the head ice in trim.Dmb. 1868 J. Salmon Gowodean 74:
They who would wi' Gibbie clink or jink, Maun ken to soop the ice to any rink.Lth. 1885 J. Strathesk Blinkbonny 270:
Soop weel when I tell ye.Wgt. 1885 G. Fraser Poems 210:
We'll soop up the stanes wi' the greatest o' pains.Ags. 1891 Barrie Little Minister xi.:
Soop her up, man, soop her up; no, no, dinna, dinna; leave her alane.Abd. 1928 J. Baxter A' Ae 'Oo' 20:
See the rinkers' grey globes hurlin; Hark the skip, “Soop up! Soop up!”Dmf. 1937 T. Henderson Lockerbie 57:
The ice being keen it required little soopin'.Sc. 1967 Scotsman (17 Nov.) 16:
“Soop, soop”: Mr. W. Y. Bell, Mr. Andrew Black (skip) and Mr. Ian Rollo sweep up a stone in the quarter-finals of the Farmers' Curling Championship.

II. n. Coll. sing. The sweepings, refuse.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (28 July):
Shü hüv'd da swöp aff o' da caird back i' da fire.