Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

ZAIDIE, n. A dim. form of the name of the letter Z, q.v., in comb. cripple or crooked Zaidie, the name of (a player in) a girl's game of the Fox-and-Geese variety (see quot.).Abd. c.1840 Sc. N. & Q. III. 178:
The one on whom the lot falls becomes “Crooked Zaidie”, and takes a position some yards in front of the little wallflowers, who join hands, and are warned by the mother to keep a guid grip o' ane anither's hans, for fear of Cripple Zaidie taking them away. Z advances mimicking a cripple, and approaching the mother, asks if she can get anything for poor Zaidie.