Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
‡BLIBBANS, BLIBBARS, n.pl.
1. “Strips of any soft or slimy matter; mostly applied to the larger seaweeds that cover rocks at ebb tide” (Gall. 1887 Jam.6).Mearns 1935 (per Abd.22):
Over sixty years ago I heard the word blibbans at Cove, near Aberdeen.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 75:
Blibbans. Ribbons of any kind of slimy matter.Gall.1 1934:
Enquiry among some of the older fishermen in Lochryan resulted in one of them saying that in his distant boyhood he often heard blibbars used to denote strips of seaweed.
2. (See quot.)Gall. 1887 Jam.6:
The term is also applied to large shreds of greens or cabbage which careless or slovenly cooks put into broth. Quite a common grumble of the ploughman to the maid, as he leaves the kitchen after the breakfast, is, “Now, Jenny, min', nae blibbans in the kail the day.”
