Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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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.
HUMPHIE, adj., n. Also -y, humfie, -y. Sc. forms of Eng. humpy.
I. adj. Having a hump, hunch-backed. Gen.(exc. I.)Sc. Also fig.Peb. 1793 R. Brown Carlop Green (1817) 129:
And crouchy Car, wi's humpy gett, And 's hingan'-showthered Bess.Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 136:
There is humphy Davie Swallow.Rnf. 1862 A. M'Gilvray Poems 319:
She has a neck, fat, short, and thick, Enormous shouthers, roun', and humphie.Ags. 1934 G. M. Martin Dundee Worthies 33:
There was Humphy Kate and Fechtin' Nell.Mry. 1945 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 398:
A ghost at any time was bad, but a ghost wi' a humphy back wis terrible.ne.Sc. 1994 Alison Mann in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 193:
Stannin on the hairthrug, his humphy shooders gar'd him look for aa the warld like a hoodie craw, his beaky neb sniffin the air for the smell o siller. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 70:
... the steeny parks an roch whin braes an heathery, humfy muirs o the Howe o Martullich.
Combs.: 1. humfy-back, a hunch-backed person. Gen.(exc. I.)Sc. 2. humphie-backit, humphy-backit, hunch-backed. Gen.(exc. I.)Sc. Also fig.2. Edb. 1878 A. Maclagan National Ballads 130:
He's wed the humphy-backet howdie!Lnk. 1883 in D. Graham Writings I. 24:
Dougal had the misfortune to be “humphie backit.”Sc. 1933 W. Soutar Seeds in the Wind 26:
The muckle müne noo rows attour The humphie-backit brae.Abd. 1946 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 227:
Black wi' humphy-backed despair.Gsw. 1953 J. J. Lavin Compass of Youth ii. iv.:
Ye've nae mind for onythin' noo but sulkin' an' gettin' humphy-backed readin' books.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 37:
(he wis humphy-backit
himsel an' cuid fricht
the life f'ae onie bairn
whaun he shauchelt oot o the dairk). wm.Sc. 1988 Robin Jenkins Just Duffy 109:
'That's the church big Milne goes to,' said Crosbie, 'him and his humphy-backed wife.' Sc. 1990 Scotsman (16 Mar) 14:
Also there were opening lines to admire for their powerful impact, like "Great red-oxide coloured triple humpy-backit stotter" (Stewart Fulton, Edinburgh). [describing Forth Bridge] Gsw. 1998 Herald (12 June) 4:
Ronnie Brown, the patron of the Auld Alliance, is humphy-backit carting in supplies of Tennents lager, Irn Bru, and various other Scottish delicacies. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 76:
Twis stinch eneuch - a hardie, steen, humfy-backit briggie - bit langsyne hid been nae mair nor a roch towe wippit roon twa aiks that sweyed fin fowks swung abeen the roch sweel o the waves on their wye frae ae side till tither. Edb. 1999:
We're aw humphy-backit wi leanin ower oor computers.
II. n. A hunch-backed person.Sc. 1777 Weekly Mag. (19 June) 398:
She is no other than a pitiful and filthy humpy.Sc. 1812 Popular Opinions 70:
In Humphie Esop's wondrous times, When tribes irrational could speak.wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 162:
Humphie at once raised his right hand, which was placed at the end of an arm nearly the length of his whole body.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 260:
Though bearded and beautiless aye had a lot, An' humphie an' hunchie aft met wi' demand [at a fair], But she was left lane on the pityfu' staund.Per. 1898 C. Spence Poems 77:
Wae's heart for the back that this bushel was tied on! A humphy for ever the owner maun be.
