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.
Quotation dates: 1795-1843, 1896-1898, 1949-1982
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JUNK, n. Also deriv. ¶junket (Rnf. 1884 J. Nicholson Willie Waugh 74). A thick, stumpy piece of any solid substance (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; I.Sc., Abd., Per., Fif., m.Lth., Arg., Uls. 1959); a shapeless block of quarry stone not suitable for dressing (Abd. 1959); a stout stocky person (Ork. 1959).m.Lth. 1795 G. Robertson Agric. m.Lth. App. 66:
This operation of converting moss into ashes . . . large square or oblong junks of moss for this purpose.Sc. 1834 M. Scott T. Cringle's Log i.:
A large knot in his cheek from a junk of tobacco therein stowed.Sc. 1843 J. W. Carlyle Letters (1883) I. 270:
[He] snatched up a large pound-cake, cut it into junks.Arg. 1896 N. Munro Lost Pibroch (1935) 114:
A stout junk with the back well set and the hose doubled a bit down.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 43:
Taks a junk o' reestid mutton an' maks a denner fit fur a king.Abd. 1949 W. Diack Granite Industry 61:
Some roadstone is still obtained from discarded “junks” in the vicinity of the quarry.Arg. 1982:
Duncan Macgougan wiz a strong junk o a man. He never weighed it. That's how ye got it - a junk o' mutton.
Hence junky, stout, sturdy, thickset (Ork., Fif., wm.Sc.1 1959).Arg. 1898 N. Munro John Splendid iv.:
All stout junky men of middle size.
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"Junk n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/junk>
