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.
BOODIE, BOODY, n.1 [′budi]
1. “Ghost, hobgoblin, spectre” (Bnff.2, Abd.9 1935). Specif. the Devil.Abd. 1823 W. Robertson Baron of Gartly in G. Greig Folk-Song of North-East (1914) v.:
Nae gruesome ghaist — nae boodie black — Could fleg that bold Baronne.Abd. 1875 G. Macdonald Malcolm xlii.:
Weel, 'cep it was the oonnaiteral luik o' the thing . . . I kenna what wad gar me luik the boody (bogie) i' the face again.Abd. 1883 Folk-Lore Jnl. I. 26:
By-and-bye the fern-seed seeker met, riding on a cripple cow, a man in appearance, but in truth 'the boodie', i.e. the devil.Mearns 1890 J. Kerr Reminisc. of a Wanderer I. 91:
Some body or boodie, o' some kin' or ither, Had come roun' the way, an' wi' nae mickle swither, By them frae the shambles the carcase was torn.
2. (See quot.)Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 15:
Boodie. A person of small stature and of not very attractive looks.
3. Gen. with tattie = “a scarecrow” (Bnff.2, Abd.19 1935).Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 72:
To see 'm s' ill shaken up an' duddy, He looks just like a tattie boodie.
Comb.: boodie-bo, “a bug-bear, an object of terror” (Abd. 1825 Jam.2).
[Prob. from Gael. bodach (cf. Gael. bodach rocais, a scarecrow), influenced by Bo, Bu, a hobgoblin. Bodach is used to designate the ghostly familiar of several Highland families — e.g. the Bodach Glas or Grey Spectre of the Grants of Rothiemurchus. See Jam. 1808 s.v. boodie and etym. note to Bamullo.]
