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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HURDIE, n. Also hurdy; ¶hordie (Kcb. 1815 J. Gerrond Works 117). Gen. in pl.: the buttocks, the hips, haunches, of human beings and animals. Gen.(exc. I.)Sc., somewhat obsol. in wm.Sc. Also attrib. and fig.Sc. 1715 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 69:
The Lasses bab'd about the Reel, Gar'd a' their Hurdies wallop.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) III. 215:
To bang the birr o' winter's anger, And had the hurdies out o' langer.Ayr. 1790 Burns Tam o' Shanter 155–8:
Thir breeks o' mine, my only pair, . . . I wad hae gi'en them aff my hurdies For ae blink o' the bonie burdies!Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xxxiii.:
Here's a raw hide that has been about the hurdies o' a stot not half an hour syne.Ags. 1848 Feast Literary Crumbs (1891) 34:
An' sic a pock sae deep an' wide, Say, does it hang down by his side, Or on his sturdie hurdie ride, On the tapmost knoup o't?Dmf. 1873 A. Anderson Song of Labour 77:
But yesterday, juist, when some faut he could help Gar't me turn up his hurdies and gie them a skelp.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 141:
A “boil” began to rise an' swell On my left hurdie.Per. 1908 Gsw. Ballad Club III. 126:
The hurdie pairts had room an' mair, But that's nae unco fawt.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road vii.:
A claymore swinging plainly at my hurdies would look ridiculous.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 26:
Tak' th' fup, man, an' come ower Jock's hurdies. He's nar asleep itha shafts.s.Sc. 1952 Scots Mag. (March) 457:
Sae Wull sat crooched wi' his hurdies chilled.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 9:
Sae I thankit him kindly -
syne he gied me the awfiest dunt
i the ribs, an there she stud -
a shilpit wee craitur wi naither
briests nor hurdies fit tae grace
the glossies lat alane the ploo. Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 215:
Her hands folded across her breists? Her knees drawn up, like a bairnie in a wame? Her sumptuous hurdies and her cream-white thighs? Abd. 1995 Sheena Blackhall Lament for the Raj 24:
His dowp, behouchie, his dock or hurdies
Are twa roon meens ower grim fur wirdies:

Phrs.: 1. heels ower hurdies, head over heels (Edb. 1957); 2. ower the hurdies, fig. of debt: in difficulties, “up to the eyes” (Per., Lnk. 1957).1. Sc. 1887 Stevenson Underwoods 85:
Puir winter virtue at the sicht Gangs heels ower hurdies.2. Ags. a.1890 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) XIII. 277:
An idle, drouthy, selfish set, Ower the hurdies amon' debt.

Combs.: 1. hurdy bane, the hip bone; 2. hurdie-caikle, hurdiekeckle, a pain in the back and thighs caused by prolonged stooping as in the harvest-field (Mearns 1877 Jam.; Abd.⁴ 1931). Cf. Caik; 3. hurdy curpen, some form of game or prank at a harvesthome, like pick-a-back; 4. hurdie gig, a pony trap, governess cart (Mry. 1930 per Fif.¹⁷); 5. hurdie-rickle, rheumatism (Sc. 1911 S.D.D. Add.). Cf. 2.1. Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 127:
Yet feent a hirple's in thy hurdy bane, When dancin' “Gillie-Callum” on the window pane.2. Kcd. 1889 J. & W. Clark Leisure Musings 21:
An' may the yieldin' o' the sickle Aye keep ye in the hurdy keckle.Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne 33:
The shearers come in, in the chorus, singin' as cheery as if hurdy-caikle was a thing unknown in the Holy Lan'.3. Slg. 1847 G. Wyse Pictures 154:
The supper o'er, round bleezing fire They in a body all retire; When merry tales and songs go round, Or hurdy curpen doth appear, Or else Blind Harry them to cheer, When old and young all fit the ground.