Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HELP, v. Also hilp. Pa.p. wk. help(i)t; str. ‡helpen (Ags. 1947 Forfar Dispatch (10 April)).

1. To mend, repair, put to rights (Kcb. 1957). Obs. in Eng. exc. n. dial.Sc. 1700 Edb. Gazette (30 Aug. 2 Sept.):
Andrew Gun doth Effectually help all sort of Smoaking Chimneys. . . . He can give many instances of Chimneys he has already helped.Kcd. 1730 J. A. Henderson Banchory-Devenick (1890) 262:
Given to the Officer three shillings scots for bringing loam from Aberdeen to help a hole in the Church.Sc. 1753 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 397:
[He] saw him endeavour to help the lock of the said gun with a file.Ork. 1771 P. Fea MS. Diary (Sept.):
He agreed with Ed Moodie to Scleat his house as I did to help myne.Mry. 1806 J. Cock Simple Strains 117:
I'll help the fire, as ye agree, An' gi'e the seethin' pot some bree.

2. Phr.: help ma bob, used as an ejaculation expressing astonishment or exasperation (m.Sc. 1957) [bob euphem. for God].Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) viii.:
Man, I maun hae been a muckle half-boilt gozlin. So, helpmabob! I cudna believ't.Gsw. 1949 H. W. Pryde McFlannels United 63:
“Aw, help ma boab!” exclaimed Willie, “Ah'm no' a traivellin' dictionary.”Sc. 1989 Scotsman 1 Dec 12:
A long-overdue Scottish alternative to the ever-popular "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie -- Out, out, out!" was included. It runs Crivvens, jings and help my boab, let's put Thatcher oot o' a job. But despite the clear cultural link with Oor Wullie, this failed to catch on among the demonstrators and the old favourite remained No 1. Gsw. 1990 Christine Marion Fraser Green are My Mountains 94:
'Help ma boab!' (a famous Glasgow expression) 'the place must be crawlin' wi' creepies! Look at the size o' that spider!'