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.
BUTTONY, BUTTONIE, n. Varieties of Buttons,n.pl.
, (see quots.).Abd. 1938 “Turlundie” in Abd. Press and Jnl. (11 April); Abd.16 1938:
Buttonie. A “kype” was scraped in the ground into which each boy placed a button. . . . The buttons were covered with loose sand and each boy in turn aimed at the kype with a piece of slate or a flat stone, the object being to dislodge as many buttons as possible. Occasionally one boy would be lucky enough to scoop the lot, and I have seen . . . even “breeks” almost denuded of buttons by the time a game was ended.Kcb.10 1937:
Buttony. A game played in my youth; like pitch and toss, but instead of tossing, the buttons had to be lifted by pressing the wetted thumb into the hollow side of the buttons.
