Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1728, 1786-1873
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CORKY, adj. and n. Sc. uses of Eng. corky.
1. adj. in combs.: (1) corky-heid, “a giddy person” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); hence corky-heidit, feather-brained, empty-headed; (2) corky-noddle, id. (Rxb. 1825 Jam.2); whence corky-noddl'd, adj., thoughtless, flighty.(1)Inv. 1865 J. Horne Poems 65:
Ilk corky-headed southron gent That comes to Scotia's muirs to hunt.Ayr. 1786 Burns Brigs of Ayr 170:
Staumrel, corky-headed, graceless Gentry.(2) Sc.(E) 1873 D. M. Ogilvy Willie Wabster's Wooing 16:
She's no farouchie nor furfluther'd, No tetherfaced, thrawnmou't, nor touthert; Nae corkynoddle runk wi' crawtaes.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 165:
What mak's ye spae o' caul' an' want, To gliff puir corky-noddl'd flatties?
2. n. (1) A frivolous, flighty, empty-headed person (Abd.19, Abd.22 1937).Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems II. 39:
The Corky, proud of his braw Suit, Curl'd up his Nose, and thus cry'd out.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie II. xxxi.:
Yon daffodil, your brother, and that corky, your gudeman, havena as meikle sense in baith their bouks as your leddyship has in your wee finger.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales (1837) II. 277:
What's the corky saying?
(2) “A boys' game which consists of aiming with a ball at a cork placed at the foot of a wall” (Edb.5 1937).
