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.
CAPERNOITIE, CAPERNOITY, Cappernoitie, Cappernoity, Capornoytie, Capernutie, n. and adj. Also spellings with initial k. [′kɑpər′nɔɪItɪ̢, -′nəiti]
1. n. The head, “noddle” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2).Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick III. ii.:
Ye hae gi'n Dranshogle a bonny cowin', whan his capernoitie's no owre the bizzin yet.
Hence capernoited, capernoitit, capernoytit, kappernoitet, kapper-noited, adj., (1) capricious, crazy; “whimsical, witless” (Sc. 1887 Jam.6 Add.; Abd.19, Lnk.3 1938); (2) heady, “intoxicated, giddy, frolicksome, etc.” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 115); known to Abd.22, Fif.10 1938; (3) “crabbed, irritable, peevish” (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., kapper-noited; 1914 Angus Gl., kappernoitet; Abd.19, Fif.10 1938).(1) Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 198:
Wi' Writing I'm so bleirt and doited . . . I thought I shou'd turn capernoited.Mry.(D) 1824 J. Cock Hamespun Lays 122:
O Willie, Willie, ye was misled, To fix an' ty your auld grey head To sic a capernoited elf.Ags. 1880 J. E. Watt Poet. Sk. of Sc. Life and Char. 56:
A queer auld capernoytit bodie Was ance weel kent the kintra roun'.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 37:
Wi' sic deep wark ye'll soon be doitit, Or though ye grow na capernoitit, Ye'll be as vain, As gin the Hebrew tongue had sproutit Frae your ain brain.Peb. 1793 Carlop Green (ed. R. D. C. Brown 1832) ii. 21:
The caper-noited chield that builds But by the thoomb and e'e.(2) Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems and Songs 90:
At Sanquhar, if they get a drappie Of Highland blue, or reaming nappie, Their heads are in an woefu' bizz ay, Capernoited, doylt and dizzy.(3) Per. 1816 J. Duff Poems 36:
Mark my neebour honest Peter . . . Growin' sae dowie, douf, an' doitit, Crabbit, cross, an' capernoitit.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 71:
Sic guilefu' wares, Wi' whilk we drumly grow, and crabbit, Dowr, capernoited, thrawin gabbit.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 181:
The Muse, at that, grew capernoited; An' ca'd me bumble.
2. adj. Used with meanings (2) and (3) of the derivative capernoited above. Known to Abd.19, Abd.22 1938.(2) Sc. 1769 D. Herd Sc. Songs 43:
She is sae jimp, sae gamp, sae gay, Sae capornoytie, and sae bonny.Sc. 1832–1846 D. Webster in Whistle-Binkie (2nd Series) 100:
Of the stark aquavitae they baith lo'ed a drappie, And when capernutie then aye unco happy.Edb. 1798 D. Crawford Poems (2nd ed.) 95:
Whan a wee drap o' Aquavitae, Made neighbours rather cappernoitie.(3) Sc. 1824 Scott St Ronan's W. xxxi.:
The cappernoity, old, girning ale-wife.Ags.(D) 1887 Brechin Advertiser (4 Oct.) 3/3:
Ye see there wis some capernoity creatures 'at thocht an' said that his botaneesin inclination led 'im doon the brunside aftener nir there wis ony use for.
