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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LEMPIT, n. Also lempet; laimpet, -it; lempad, -ed, -id (Ork., Cai.); lampet, -it; lampock; lempeck (Bwk. 1842 Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club II. 36), lempic (Fif. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 253). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. limpet. [Sc. ′lɛ(i)mpət, Fif. ′lɛmpɪk]

1. As in Eng. In Ork. also used as a nickname for a native of Stronsay parish (Ork. 1903 G. F. Black Folk-Lore 267, 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 320, Ork. 1960). Also attrib.Sc. 1707 G. Miege Pres. State N. Britain ii. ii. 15:
Lampits, Wilks, Clams and Spouts, which are cast up in such Numbers in the Isles, as the People are not able to consume them.Sc. 1747 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) I. 197:
He had not any other Meat than Dilse and Lammocks [sic], a Kind of Shell-fish.Ayr. 1786 Burns Earnest Cry vii.:
Triumphant crushin't like a mussel, Or lampit shell! [MSS. laimpet, -it.]Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxxxv.:
The tasty whilks and lampets that Widow Calder … assured her customers … were pickled to a concupiscable state of excellence.Fif. 1830 A. Stewart Dunfermline(1889)161:
Pitchers to be filled with whelks, lempics, and cavies.Bwk. 1842 Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club II. 36:
The Limpet or Lempecks. These have a rather thin shell of a greenish colour.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 49:
Mansie Meur was pickan' lempeds i' the ebb.Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 156:
Full eyes are sometimes compared to “Lempets,” and sometimes to “Pleughmen's watches.”Fif. 1951 P. Smith The Herrin' 17:
And mony a lempit's shell they cracket.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 86:
He'd cairry on till his wee pailie wis fu o lempets: some he gollached doon as sune's he preed them, sookin the sappy wersh soss as if frae a speen; ...

2. Combs.: (1) lempit-breu, water in which limpets have been boiled from their shells (Sh. 1960); (2) lempit cuddie, a small basket in which limpets are collected (Sh. 1960). See Cuddie, n.²; (3) lempit ebb, the shore between high and low water mark where limpets are to be found (I.Sc. 1960); (4) lempit pick, a small chisel used for striking limpets off the rocks (I.Sc. 1960). See quot. under (2); (5) lempit roadie, see quot.(1) Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 129:
A aire o' lempit breu.(2) Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 92:
My mussel-draigs, my lempit pick, An' sae my lempit cuddie.(3) Sh. 1897 Shetland News (2 Oct.):
Doo'll mebbie get her ta geng i' da lempit ebb.(4) Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 68:
Da first 'at he cam wi' wis a lempit pick instead o' a shisel — ta prick da coo wi'!(5) Ags. 1949 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 87:
had a notion there was a route down to the beach hereabout. There was, though it turned out to be much too steep to be classified as a path, or (as they say in these parts) a “limpit roadie.”