Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CHEENY, Cheenie, Cheenae, n. [′tʃinə, ′tʃini Sc., but m.Sc. + ′tʃinĕ]
1. Gen.Sc. (except I.Sc.) forms of St.Eng. china, used as in Eng. Also attrib.Sc. 1929 M. P. Roy in Scots Mag. (Oct.) 8:
They were handless besoms that smashed a' the guid cheeny.Sc. 1994 Herald 15 Jan 28:
... while lunch quite frankly conjures up, for me at least, a picture of cups of tea served in the best cheeny, egg and cress sandwiches on the lawn, and the distant thwack of cricket ball on willow from the village green. No, we are really talking here about the good auld Scots middle-of-the-day meal - dinner. Sc. 1994 Herald 10 Nov 13:
... I can recall the Christmas, the Annual, the very page in which the Broons came out in a measles rash en famille, all except the Bairn, who put on her nurses' outfit and served them pretend tea in her dolly's dinky cheeny cups.Sc. 1999 Scotsman 10 Nov 13:
Mrs T, you're almost encouraging me to go off sick again. Nevermore shall I snigger at your little Tupperware boxes or cheenie cup, nor grudge you your winter break in Madeira (well, maybe that's pushing it a bit).Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 20:
Ae nicht Nell wis wakkened o a suddenty bi the soun o fitsteps pammerin intae the ben room - the parlour far her mither's ain cabinet stude, stappit fu wi cheenie.Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) v.:
Mistress Mikaver had oot her mither's cheenie, an' a braw tablecloth.Gsw. 1972 Molly Weir Best Foot Forward (1974) 215:
The normal practice was for outgoing and incoming tenants to move practically in unison, and my mother used to be in a frenzy, overseeing the packing of her precious 'cheenie' and ornaments at the house she was leaving,...Lnk. 1923 G. Rae 'Mang Lowland Hills 56:
A snaw-white cloutie spreadit squarely Ootower the cheenae plate.
2. “A boys' china marble” (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; Abd.9, Kcb.1 1939). Also found in Eng. dial. (E.D.D.).
