Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1719, 1787-1864, 1920-1934, 1985
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BELLUM, BELLIM, BELLAM, n. [′bɛləm]
1. Force, impetus; a blow; noise, din.Sc. 1719 Ramsay Poems (1721) 198:
I'm sure thou needs set little by To bide their Bellums.n.Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
Bellam. A stroke or blow.Cai.1 1920Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto Tammas Bodkin (1868) xxxiv.:
Simon havin' done ample penance . . . in tholin' the full bellum o' Mrs Yettlin's tongue.Fif.7 1934:
The word "bellum" is still extensively used to denote "a row."Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 164–165:
I was oblidg'd to tak a nap, To blunt the bellim o' the chat.Ayr. 1787 Burns Lament for W. Creech (Cent. ed.) ix.:
He wha could brawlie ward their bellum, Willie's awa!n.Rxb., centr.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 53:
Bellum. A rumpus, upstir, or loud noise.
2. A term of disrespect. This seems to be a mistake for Blellum.Cai.1 1934:
Bellum is very rarely used in Cai., and if so, as a term of disrespect.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 18:
Marianne! Don't listen tae this damp haiverin' bellum
Trust your daddy, he kens whit's guid for ye! Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 94:
Ye'll sometimes like to weet yer throttle Wi' what some bellums ca' the bottle, An' I ca' whusky.
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"Bellum n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bellum>
