Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BIRKIE, BIRKY, n.2. Simple card-game for two people, the person who throws down the highest card taking the trick. Eng. beggar-my-neighbour. There are two kinds of this game, King's Birkie and Common Birkie.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxii.:
But Bucklaw cared no more about riding the first horse . . . than he, Craigengelt, did about a game at birkie.Sc. 1827 J. Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 302:
Catch me at the cairds, unless it be a game at Birky; for I'm sick o' Whust itsel.Fif. 1884 “Sarah Tytler” St Mungo's City vi.:
Eppie was initiating her mother into the mysteries of “bézique” to replace “birkie” and “catch-the-ten.”Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) xxv.:
The deboched journeymen tailors . . used to play birkie . . . when the maister's back was turned.
