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.
Quotation dates: 1789-1875
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KNICK-KNACK, n.comb. Also nick-nack, dim. nick-nacket (ne.Sc., Fif., Lth. 1960), double dim. knick-knacketie, -nackery. Sc. forms and usage, as in Eng., in dim. forms.
Hence nickery nackerie, id., a precise, particular person (Cld. 1880 Jam.); nick-nackity, fastidious, fussy, particular, trifling; nicky-nacky, footling, trivial.Ayr. 1789 Burns Grose's Peregr. vi.:
He has a fouth o' auld nick-nackets: Rusty airn-caps and jinglin jackets.Slk. 1810 Hogg Wool-Gatherer (1874) 80:
That vile nicky-nacky language they ca' English.Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xix.:
They behoved to come into Glasgow ae fair morning, to try their hand on purging the High Kirk o' popish nick-nackets.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie viii.:
He made, as he often afterwards said himself, "his memory, like a wisdom-pock, a fouth of auld knick-knacketies — clues of experience."Fif. 1824 J. Bissett Poems 142:
There's some nicknackity conceits, And many bare-fac'd open cheats.Ags. 1834 A. Smart Rhymes 102:
Wi' mony an orra queer nick-nacket The pouch was fou.Edb. 1872 J. Smith Jenny Blair's Maunderings (1881) 33:
A braw shop-window, wi' bonnie bits o' nickery nackeries.Rxb. 1875 N. Elliott Nellie Macpherson 165:
They tak the roast beef an' knick-nackeries, an' forget that there's sic a thing as parritch i' the warld.
