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.
LAMPEEKOO, n. Also lampie-coo. A game of the variety of prisoner's base in which one set of players tried to capture members of another (Abd. 1938 Abd. Press & Jnl. (26 March) 6). See 1958 quot. and cf. Pee-coo.Ags. 1901 “Old J.” Nugae 13:
Do the wiser youngsters of today play Burn-the-housie and Lampeekoo?Ags.20 1958:
Played in Montrose in the last quarter of the 19th century at least. One set of boys would gather round a lamp-post; another set would be at the next lamp-post and a chase followed from lamp-post to lamp-post, an effort being made by the first set to capture the second set before they reached the “safety” of subsequent lamp-posts — as in baseball. If caught between lamp-posts the call “lampeekoo” was given.
