Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
GLOOM, v., n. Sc. usages. Also gloum, glowm, †gloem (Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 27); †glume (Sc. 1724 Ramsay Ever Green (1875) I. 230), glum (Sh.). [Sc. glu:m, but ‡Abd., Ayr., Rxb. + glʌum]
I. v. 1. To grow dark. Vbl.n. glooming †gloumin' (Bch. 1832 W. Scott Poems 116), ‡glowmin(g), twilight. Cf. Gloam.Wgt. 1711 Session Bk. Wgt. (1934) 165:
Hee took his horse in the glooming and rode out of the toun.Sc. 1716 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 69:
But mony a pauky Look and Tale Gaed round whan Glowming hous'd them.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 39–40:
Land-gates unto the hills she held the gate, After the night was glowm'd an' growing late.Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' iii.:
Hire-women ay the glowmin hail, For syne the lads come frae the flail.Sc. 1778 Weekly Mag. (21 Jan.) 88:
Wi' sicklike pastimes are the gloomings crown'd, An' mony a tale an' wily trick gang round.Abd. 1858 G. Macdonald Phantastes iii.:
In the midst of the forest it gloomed earlier than in the open country.Abd. 1954 Buchan Observer (19 Oct.):
A'se tak ma shank an' weive in 'e glowmin.
2. As in Eng., to look sullen or gloomy, to scowl. The use in vbl.n. and ppl.adj. is commonly Sc. Adv. ¶gloomingly. Specif. of horses: to show signs of ill-temper and viciousness (Cai.9 1939; Arg.3 1954).Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. ii.:
With glooman Brow the Laird seeks in his Rent: 'Tis no to gi'e; your Merchant's to the bent.Edb. 1788 J. Macaulay Poems 132:
They watch his ilka word, An' glooming beck.Sc. 1831 Blackwood's Mag. XXX. 550:
You look too gloomingly at every thing.Sc. 1864 Carlyle Fr. the Great IV. 383:
A great deal of trouble with his gloomings.Sc. 1889 Stevenson M. Ballantrae iii.:
There is altogether some excuse if Ballantrae showed something of a glooming disposition.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 30:
I got gloomin' and glunchin' and paiks, And nae bite frae the press or the pan.Arg.1 1930:
When a horse puts back his ears preparatory to attacking with his teeth he is said to “gloom”.
Hence †gloumer, “one who has a downcast frowning look” (Cld. 1825 Jam.).
3. To suspect; to doubt, waver (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh.10 1954).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
To glum upon a ting, to have a suspicion of something being not quite right, that there is something wanting; I glumd as muckle, I thought as much.
Vbl.n. gloomins “suspicious or sinister reports, hints (of something evil)” (Ork. 1929 Marw.).Ib.:
I dunno ken for certain, but I heard gloomins o' it.
II. n. 1. A frown, a scowl (Cai. 1900 E.D.D.; Ayr.4 1928; Dmf., Rxb. 1954). Also in w.Yks. dial.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 179:
The Miser hears him with a Gloom, Girns like a Brock and bites his Thumb.Sc. 1803 Scott Minstrelsy III. 16:
But sick a gloom, on ae brow-head, Grant I ne'er see agane!Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Tales 95:
Then mount, an' hame, wi' saucy gloom.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxxiii.:
It's a sair thing, that Ewan of Brigglands . . . suld mind a gloom from a great man mair than a friend's life.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail xxviii.:
Na, gudeman, nane o' your winks and glooms to me, — I will speak out.Edb. 1870 J. Lauder Warblings 33:
An' it daurs me to look wi' a gloom or a frown Lest their innocent faith should be torn.
2. In pl.: the sulks, a state of depression (Bnff.4 1927), esp. in phr. in the glooms (ne.Sc. 1954). Deriv. ¶gloomsomeness, id.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 113:
O, Jock, never think that my glooms are a fairly, Consider your conduct wi' black Girzie Bell.Cld. 1880 Jam.:
He's in the glooms the day.Sc. 1889 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 213:
Duncan contributed his full share to the general gaiety, as . . . he had quite got over his “gloomsomeness”.Knr. 1891 “H. Haliburton” Ochil Idylls 17:
What needs a man forecast the glooms To tak' them ere their day.
