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.
BENWEED, n. The common ragwort, Senecio jacobæa. Also used attrib. See also Bennieweed.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail xl.:
I would be nane surprised, that whoever lives to see him dee will find in the bed a benweed or a windlestrae, instead o' a Christian corpse.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize II. xxii.:
It's no safe to be subjek to the whisking o' the mildew frae the tails o' the benweed ponies that are saddled for yon awfu' carnavaulings.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables of Robin Cummell 56:
M'unting a benweed at the howe oor o' the nicht, [he] rade awa through the lift to Loudon Hill.Uls. 1931 “Bangor” in North. Whig (16 Dec.) 9/5:
Ben weed, the ragwort (believed to have been used by the fairies and witches to ride on). adj. phr.: kick-at-the-benweed, “headstrong, unmanageable” (Ayr. 1825 Jam.2).Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxxvii.:
And what did he say for himsel, the kick-at-the-benweed foal that he is?
