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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.

HUMDUDGEON, n. Also humdurg(e)on.

1. A fuss, needless complaint (Rxb. 1825 Jam.); in pl.: fit of sulks.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. xxiii.:
Hout tout, man — I would never be making a hum-dudgeon about a scart on the pow.
Sc. 1827 Scott Two Drovers ii.:
I maun down to the Clachan to see if the lad Henry Waakfelt is out of his humdudgeons yet.

2. “A big stupid person of an evil disposition” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 84, hum-durgon); a bungler.Kcb.4 1900:
As the souter said to his journeyman “You're a fearful humdurgeon.”

[The form humdurgeon is also found in Eng. slang from 1785 = low spirits, the sulks. Prob. combination of colloq. Eng. hum, a hoax, imposition, and dudgeon, resentment.]

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"Humdudgeon n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/humdudgeon>

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