Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DING DANG, adv. Speedily, in rapid succession (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis s.v. doung; Bnff.2, Abd.2, Fif.10 1940); “pell-mell, helter-skelter, in confusion” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2).Sc. 1718 Ramsay Chr. Kirk iii. iii. in Poems (1721):
To see the young Fouk or they raise, Gossips came in ding dang.Sc. [1787] W. Taylor Poems (1827) 39:
Ye knock chairs and stools a' ding dang.ne.Sc. 1952 John R. Allan North-East Lowlands of Scotland (1974) 187:
"...but, when the foreman looked over the rise, he cried out, 'Guid God, the barn's on fire.' ... The lads ran down, ding-dang, through the close and up to the barn: but it was no fire. ..."Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
Syne they begood . . . throwin' aul' sheen, ding dang, like a shoo'er o' hailstanes.Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' 23:
'Round caps and plates, the cutties sable Are flung ding dang.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 76:
But, Oh! it gae my bosom mony a stang, Whan 'bout my Jean the fallows ran ding dang.
