Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BAB, n.1 A Sc. form of the Eng. dial. bob. See P.L.D. § 54. [bɑb]
1. A posy or nosegay of flowers; a tassel or bunch of ribbons.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xxiv.:
A cockit hat with a bab o' blue ribbands.Sc. 1908 W. Wingate in Glasgow Ballad Club III. 159:
Wi' a cane in his han' — in his button a bab — What d'ye think o' our Sandy Macnab?Lnk. 1862 D. Wingate Poems and Songs 20:
Bloomin' on the ryegrass meadows Babs o' clover-flowers were seen.
2. Combs.: (1) bab o' a' the boon, the finest and best-dressed lass or lad among the boon or band of shearers; (2) wooer-bab, a garter at the knee with two loops, worn by a suitor as a proposal of marriage.(1) Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 21:
For he shoor on the stibble han' Wi' Lizzie frae the ha', Wha shene the bab o' a' the boon, She was sae buskit braw.(2) Ayr. 1786 Burns Halloween iii.:
The lads sae trig, wi' wooer-babs Weel knotted on their garten, Some unco blate, an' some wi' gabs Gar lasses hearts gang startin.
3. A soft lump, a blob, dollop, lit. and fig. of a person; a
stupid, lumpish fellow.Dmf. 1790 J. Fisher Poems 94:
Ye soon coud mak' ilk worthless bab, Wha cries sic like, to haud their gab.
4. The tee or ring of mud serving as the target at quoits (Ayr. c.1900); the mark aimed at in a game of pitch-and-toss, usu. a stick pushed into the ground (Fif. 1957). Phs. a different word.
[Cf. Gael. pab, tassel, refuse of flax or wool; babag, baban, a tassel.]
