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 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ANTIC(K), adj. and n. Some senses that have been given in the Sc. dictionaries seem to show little or no modification of the meanings found in St.Eng., of “grotesque or bizarre in appearance or in gesture” (adj.), and “grotesque appearance, gesturing, or posturing; a person showing such an appearance, etc.” (noun). For the noun S.D.D. gives “an oddity; an eccentric person; ‘a spectacle'; in pl. odd ways, dress, tricks.”

1. adj. (See quot.)Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
Antic, adj., funny; droll. “He's very antic.” Antickest = most funny.

2. n.

(1) “A foolish ridiculous frolic,” Jam.² 1825.Bnff.² 1932:
The loons stappit up the aul' wifie's lum wi' a divot, nae sae muckle oot o' ony ill design as jist for an antic.

(2) The sense in the foll. passage appears to be “evil spirit” or “demon.” (No other evidence for this meaning, which may have arisen from a comparison between the strange or ugly appearance ascribed to such a phantom, and the grotesque appearance of a clown or merry-andrew.)Mry. 1914 H. J. Warwick Tales from the Toon 146:
A ken for a fac', at twa tylers ower by Mosstodloch raised an antick an' cudna lay't.

(3) “A grotesque figure out of place in the surroundings, referred to contemptuously. E.g., Jinsie's loon, hame on holiday fae London, wiz at the ball dress't up t' the nines; ye never saw sic an antic o' a craitur,” Bnff.² 1932.

(4) Also applied, without contempt, “to a person who is ‘droll' in speech or manner, or . . . in both,” Ags.³ 1932. Often applied to a child, “He's a real antic o' a bairn,” Slg.³ 1932.