Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BONHUS, Bønhus, Büanhoos, Bunehouse, Bünhus, Banehoos, n. Also benihus, bonihus (Sh. 1958). “Church, tabu-word, used by fishermen at sea” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928) bønhus; 1866 Edm. Gl. s.v. bune-house; 1914 Angus Gl. s.v. bünhus). [′bɔn′hus, ′bøn′hus, ′benɪhus, ′bcnɪhus]Sh. 1931 J. Nicolson Sh. Incidents and Tales 56:
The church was known as Da Bonhus.Ork. 1883 R. M. Fergusson Rambling Sketches, etc. xiv.:
If they [the fishermen] must refer to the Kirk, it is by the name of the Heulie, meaning the holy place, or büanhoos, or banehoos.
