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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLAMJAMFRY, n. and v. Also in forms clamjamfrey, -fr(a)y, -phry, -phrey, clan-, and clamjaff(e)ry, clan-, clum-jampery; clamjamphrie; clamjauver; clamjaff; clangumphry (Gall. 1898 A. J. Armstrong Levellers xxi.); clanjamf. [klɑm′dʒɑmfrɪ̢, -fr, -′dʒɑfr, klɑn-, klʌm′dʒɑmprɪ̢]

1. n.

(1) A company of people (Uls.1 c.1920); gen. used contemptuously, hence a mob, rabble, the riff-raff of a community; “frequently used to denote the purse-proud vulgar” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2). Freq. in phr. the hale (whole) —, used fig. in Arg. quot. = every aspect, every minor detail. Given as obsol. by Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923), clamjamfry, clamjaffry, clan-. Gen.Sc. Also found in Nhb. dial. (E.D.D.).Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. (1817) xxiii.:
We maun off like whittrets before the whole clanjamfray be down upon us.
Sc. 1990 Sunday Times 5 Aug :
During the Edinburgh Festival the visitor is likely to be confronted by many a disjaskit (untidy) looking bogle (scarecrow) or clamjamfrie (ragged band) of same, stairing (thrusting) handbills at him advertising some bladry (foolishness, ostentation) or other.
Sc. 1999 Herald 2 Jul 19:
As the last of the children's banners swept down the Mound the guests, by now a wholly disordered clamjamfrey, ambled back up the hill for their lunch in Parliament Hall.
Sc. 2002 Herald 26 Mar 15:
... a veritable clamjamfrie of fowk in a position to give musicians work and exposure, which may account for the nervousness of the early part of the Scottish Women's performance.
Bnff.6 c.1920:
I winna ha'e ye gyaen wi sic clamjamfrey.
Mry. 1875 W. Tester Select Poems 22:
Mony a queer clamjaff we've had Sin' we hae trod life's lane thegither.
m.Sc. 1982 Douglas MacLagan in Hamish Brown Poems of the Scottish Hills 158:
The gerse was poo't, the boxes fill't,
An' syne the hail clamjamphrie,
Would tak' the road by Glen o' Tilt.
Slg. 1901 R. Buchanan Poems, Songs, etc. 162:
The hale clamjamphrey were fittin' it tae and heel wi' unbounded delight.
wm.Sc. 1991 James Russell Grant in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 56:
An the hale clamjamfrie eagle phoenix peehees fae China
an a'.
Arg. 1917 A. W. Blue Quay Head Tryst 144:
A wumman, ye understaan', sees the whole clamjaffery o' things an raither mair.
Gsw. 1994 Alasdair Gray A History Maker xiv:
"Why remember those nasty centuries when honest folk were queered, pestered and malagroozed by clanjamfries of greedy gangsters who called themselves governments and stock exchanges? ... "
Ayr. a.1839 Galt Howdie (1923) 9:
But among other regimental clamjamphry that were around this left-to-hersel' damsel, was a Mrs Gooseskin, the Drum-major's wife.
Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 295:
Quirk wus a Manxman, Clark wus a native, an the Co. wus a' the rag-tag bobtail and clanjamfrey o' Europe.
Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales (1837) III. 272:
Gawin, can nae ye tak' the Minister ben the house, or the rest o' the clanjamphrey come in?

(2) Hurly-burly, row, commotion.Sc. 1931 J. Lorimer Red Sergeant 312:
Ye maun ken the clamjamfrey in the Hielan's is ower an' by.
Sc. 1979 John Kincaid in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 28:
Class barriers are crumbling dry-stane dykes in Scotland, but class attitudes and postures glory in a continuing clanjamphrey of confrontations.
Abd. 1923 B. R. M'Intosh Scent o' the Broom 40:
Oh, nocht kens my mither, sae sober and douce, O' sic a clamjamfray kicked up in her hoose.
Wgt., Dmf. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
clamjamfrey 1. a brawl, a rabble.
Slk. 1986 Harvey Holton in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 168:
dauncean simmer's daith in a clanjamfrie o colours.

(3) Worthless odds and ends, rubbish. Given as obsol. by Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923), and by Arg.1 1940. Also attrib.Bnff.(D) 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 8:
An' halesome is the hamely fare in ilka hoose an' ha', For galshachs an' clamjamfry trash we canna thole ava'.
Wgt., Kcb. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
clamjamfrey 2. a collection of rubbish.
Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
“Did you stop till the roup was done?” “A' was sell'd but the clamjamfry.”

†(4) “Nonsensical talk” (w.Fif. 1825 Jam.2).Sc. c.1860 J. B. Hunter in Scotsman (13 Sept. 1933):
“Nane o' yer clum-jampery” — None of your nonsense.

2. v.

(1) To crowd, clutter (up). Gen. found as ppl.adj.Sc. 1896 R. L. Stevenson Weir of Hermiston 312:
It would be a queer thing, I think, if I was to clamjamfry up your faither's house . . . wi' a dirty, black-a-vised clan.
Mearns 1932 “L. G. Gibbon” Sunset Song i. 28:
Its own road was fair clamjamfried with glaur from late in the harvest till the coming of Spring.
m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood 33:
But doun in the glen ye're that clamjamphried wi' michty trees that your heid spins like a peery.

(2) To chatter, gossip animatedly. Gsw. 1829 New Scotch Haggis 325:
I' the course o' the clish-maclavering an' clamjauvering o' the women.

(3) To roam about in a loose aimless manner, with implications of keeping doubtful company, from 1. (1). Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy Geordie Chalmers 11:
Clanjamfin' awa here an there for years, an leavin' their flocks to the mercy o' a whean half-learned curates will never do ava.

[Not in O.Sc. Origin obscure.]

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"Clamjamfry n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/clamjamfry>

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