Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1847-1902
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HINKUM, n. ¶1. “Anything which is tied up into balls, as thread” (Abd. 1902 E.D.D.).
2. A young and mischievous boy or girl.Abd. 1902 E.D.D.:
Come oot o' that ye hinkum; ye're makin' a' soss o' yer claes. The little hinkum put an en' to the readin' by blawing oot the can'le.
Hence (1) hinkumbooby, a children's singing game (see quot. and A. B. Gomme Trad. Games (1894) I. 352–61); (2) hinkumsnivie, hincum-, -sneev(l)ie, a silly, stupid person (Abd. 1825 Jam., -snivie), an underhand kind of person, a sneak, tell-tale (Bnff.2 1928, -sneevlie; Abd. 1951); also used attrib. = cowardly, lazy.(1) Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 273:
The party form a circle, taking hold of each other's hands. One sings, and the rest join . . . while doing so, they move a little side-ways, and back again, beating the time . . . with their feet. As soon as the line is concluded, each claps his hand and wheels grotesquely round, singing . . . Hinkum-booby, round about. Then they sing, with the appropriate gesture — that is, throwing their right hand into the circle and the left out; Right hands in, and left hands out, still beating the time.(2) Abd. 1853 W. Cadenhead Flights 179, 259:
You're nae a hincumsneevie slattern, Crouch'd in a corner . . . To shame the hincum-sneevie louns wha aye holed on at hame.
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"Hinkum n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hinkum>
