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.
HOOMET, n. Also hoomit, hummit, †humet; †howmet, and dim. hoomach. [′humɪt, -əx]
†1. A little cap (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis s.v. how); “a child's undercap” (Mry. 1825 Jam.).
2. A large flannel nightcap formerly worn by old women (Abd. 1825 Jam.; Mry.1 1925, hoomach); a woman's hood or hat of unusual shape (ne.Sc. 1957). Ppl.adj. hoometet, having the head covered with a hood or nightcap.Abd. 1813 D. Anderson Poems 82:
An' witches hoometet in fright, In flannin' rags, and wonsey.Bnff. 1880 J. F. S. Gordon Chrons. Keith 71:
There were usually several broken panes stopped up with our Kilmarnocks, or, as we called them, Hoomits.Bnff.6 c.1920:
Sic a queer lookin' hoomit she hid on.
3. In pl.: fingerless gloves or mittens (Mry.1 1919, Mry. 1957, hoomachs). Also dim. hoomacles, hum(m)acles (Id.).
[O.Sc. hewmond, 1504, hewmet, 1513, humelt, 1578, variant forms of helmet, O.Fr. healmet.]
