Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1717-1721, 1819-1979
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PEA, n., int. Also pee; pei (Bch. 1891 Trans. Bch. Field Club II. 13; Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 13), pey (Ags. 1925 Forfar Dispatch (3 Dec.) 3; Abd. 1961 P. Buchan Mount Pleasant 39); ¶paa (Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 40); pi-. This form is, as in Eng., a back-formation from Pease which was looked upon as a pl. The form pizz, used as the pl. of pea, esp. in ne.Sc., is dealt with in its orig. sing. meaning under Pease. [pi:; ne., s.Sc. pai]
I. n. 1. Sc. combs. and phrs.: (1) cat pea, the tufted vetch. Vicia cracca (Clc. 1886 B. and H. 372); (2) craw pea, see Craw, n.1, II. 7.; (3) mice pea, = (1) (Mry. 1886 B. and H. 372; Gall. 1965); (4) never to say peas, not to say a word, to keep mute. Cf. Cheese n.2; (5) pea-an-thummils, a game of chance in which the object is to guess under which of three thimbles a pea is hidden. Cf. Eng. thimble-rigging; (6) pea-bored, of a cylindrical tube, pipe, etc.: narrow in diameter, small-bored (Abd.15 1928); (7) pea-bree, -brae the liquid in which peas have been boiled, pea-soup (Ags., Lth., wm.Sc. 1965). See Bree, n.1, Broo, n.1; (8) pea-claw, = (7). Heriot's Hosp. slang. Cf. Cabbiclaw; (9) pea cod, a pea-pod (Ags. 1965). See Cod, n.2 and cf. pease cod s.v. Pease. Now dial. in Eng. Hence pea cod tree, the laburnum, Cytisus laburnum or alpinus, from its seed-pods. Cf. 2.; (10) pea-gun, a pea-shooter (Ork. 1965). Also in Eng. dial. Phr. to crack awa like a pea-gun, to keep up a continual flow of talk, to chatter endlessly. Cf. pen-gun s.v. Pen; (11) pea-hool, -huil, = (9) (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Fif., Lth., s.Sc. 1965). See Huil, n.; (12) pea-hotch, a contemptuous term for a ramshackle vehicle, a "bone-shaker". See Hotch, v.; (13) pea-kail, see Kail, n., 3.; (14) pea-(k)nud, a scone, bannock or loaf made with pea-flour (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). See Nod, n.2; (15) pea-neb, pee-, a small horny excrescence on the bill of a newly hatched chicken (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), pinebb, Sh. 1965); (16) pea-pluff, pea flour (Abd.15 1928). See Pluff; (17) pea pluffer, = (10). See also Pluff; (18) pea-pudding, = pease pudding. Cf. pease brose s.v. Pease; (19) pea-scone, a scone made of pea-flour; (20) pea-shaup, = (9) (Fif., wm.Sc. 1965). Also fig. See Shaup; (21) pea-shod, id. For second element cf. Eng. shood, M. L. Ger. schode, id.; (22) pea strae, the withered stalks and foliage of the pea-plant, used for bedding for animals; a Scottish country dance tune so called. See pease-strae s.v. Pease, and Strae; (23) pea whaup, = (9) (Abd. 1965). See Whaup; (24) to pit a pea in one's lug, to give one something to think about, tell someone off, send one away with a flea in one's ear (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 198; Sh. 1965); (25) to split peas, = Eng. to split hairs. Hence pea-splittin, adj., of persons: petty, fussy, over-punctilious, inclined to meanness, cheese-paring (Uls. 1965).(4)Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae xv.:
She gaed awa oot an' never said peas.(5)Ags. 1887 A. Willock Rosetty Ends xxi.:
The three-card trick, or prick-the-garter, or the pea-an'-thummils. (7) Gsw. 1947 J. F. Hendry Fernie Brae 84:
Where iyi gon noo? Iyi comin' tae the Tally's for pea-brae? wm.Sc. 1979 Robin Jenkins Fergus Lamont 246:
'... I still remember, you see, those penny pea-brees in Pacitti's in Morton Street.(8) Edb. 1898 J. Baillie W. Crighton 196:
After having had their "pea-claw, touts and cone," they were busy with a game of "prisoner's base". (9) Per. 1721 Caled. Mercury (14 Dec.):
The Wood of Baladgarno in the Paroch of Inchsture in the Carse of Gowry ... consisting of Elms, Oakes, Firs, Gienns, and Peacod Tree.Sc. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xix.:
They are as like thine own, as one green pea-cod is to another.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) xviii.:
When he got himsel' gaithered oot amon' the peycods an' cabbitch, he was genna be at me.(10)Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie ix.:
They're like lad and lass, cracking awa' like pea-guns a' the hours o' the day. (11) Sc. 1717 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 19:
Poor Facers now may chew Pea-hoofs [sic], Since Lucky's dead.Fif. a.1870 J. M. Morton Broken Bowl 11:
We greed like pease in a peahule Fra we were laddies at the schule.(12)Sc. 1844 Chambers's Jrnl. (27 July) 58:
John, what'n a pea-hotch is this? Div ye ca't a coach? let me oot! Div ye think I'll sit howdling here a' night?(13) Ags.17 1942:
Pea-kaill is broth made with fresh green pease, as distinguished from pea-soup which is made with split brown peas.(14)Dmf. 1962 Stat. Acc.3 380:
I remember the farmers fed their servants on pea meal bread, called "pea knud".(15)Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 110:
Hit wisna tint hit's peeneb at Lammas!(16)Abd.15 1928:
Fess twa pun o' pey-pluff fae the merchan's to mak piz brose.(17)Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle R. Gordon 63:
Them boys cares as much fur yer guns as a wud aboot wee Paddy's pea-pluffer. (18)Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 239:
An excellent leg of pickled pork, served with pea-pudding. (19) Gsw.1889 A. G. Murdoch Readings (Ser. 1) 22:
Peascones, five for tippence! (20) Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 94:
There's little sap in a dry pea-shaup. m.Lth. 1897 P. H. Hunter J. Armiger's Revenge xi.:
Ye needna be feared that ony o' them wad mak' up to an auld pea-shaup o' a body like you! (21) Gsw. 1858 "Shadow" Midnight Scenes 68:
I'll split your head like a pea shod. (22) Ayr. c.1920 Carrick Anthol. (Finlayson 1925) 326:
The maister, too, douce honest man, Held blithely at "the Hoolachan," An' skelpit through "Pea Strae." (25) Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 25:
That pea-splittin' dealin' nature which kythed when he was but a callan' to a spirit of scarting and haining that I never could abide.Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 333:
There would be such argle-bargling and splitting o' peas to gie neat wecht.
2. The seed of the laburnum tree (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Hence pea-tree, the laburnum, Cytisus laburnum or alpinus (Lth. 1825 Jam.; Lth., Ayr. 1886 B. and H.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; s.Sc. 1965). Cf. 1. (9).Sc. 1822 D. Pollock Life (1843) 157:
The pea-tree bended its modest head, covered with locks of lovely yellow.Rxb. 1845 T. aird Old Bachelor 173–4:
The pods of the pea-tree hang from every branch in clusters. When ripe, the peas are glossy black as jet, and are much sought after by bits of country lasses for making necklaces of beads.
3. A small marble (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; Lth. 1965). Also dims. peekie, id. (Bch. 1920), peaock, "a small light marble of yellowish colour" (Slg. 1921 T.S.D.C. 16; Bnff. 1965), peakin (Bnff. 1965). Cf. peaser, payser, peasie, piz(z)ie, id., s.v. Pease, and Peedgie.Bwk. c.1870 D. Cairns Autobiog. (1950) 53:
Real marbles were the aristocrats of the game ... "Peas" or small coloured articles were the rabble rout!
4. In pl., a term for a grade of very small coal (Lth. 1965). Cf. Pearl. Also in n.Eng. mining districts. Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 50:
Peas. Coal a grade smaller than nuts, and from which the gum has been separated.
5. Quasi-adj. or attrib. usage, = pea-like, small and round like a pea.Ayr. a.1878 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage (1892) 177:
The sma' kittie wran has quattit her nest, ... In mortal dread for her wee pea eggs.
II. int. In redupl. form pea-pea, a call to pigeons to come for food (Wgt. 1965). Cf. Pease, int.
