Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CHOCKSY, n. “The cow-parsnip (Heracleum spondylium, Linn.); applied rather loosely to any of the similar thick-stemmed umbelliferous plants. Boys use the stems for making water-squirts” (Ork. 1929 Marw.). [′tʃɔksi]
[Prob. cogn. with Eng. (chiefly dial.) kex, kecks, kecksy, a hollow-stalked umbelliferous plant (which Un. Eng. Dict. connects with Lat. geniculatus, jointed, genu, knot, joint in a plant, Eng. knee), through Norse (cf. Norse hundkjeks, wild cicely (Torp)).]