Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†DAWSIE, adj. “Stupid and inactive . . . it conveys both the idea of constitutional folly or imbecility of mind, and of bodily torpor. The term is conjoined with creature, or some substantive expressive of contempt; and often, perhaps merely for the sake of the sound, applied to a slovenly foolish woman in this form, dawsie mawsie” (Lth. 1825 Jam.2).
[Daw, n.2, + -sie, pejorative or dim. suff. as in Bigsie. Cf. Dawlie, Dawdie.]
