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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.

MALISON, n. Also malesin; malicin (Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 54), mallasin (Sc. a.1830 Child Ballads No. 4. H. xii.), malysoun (Sc. 1825 Jam.); malisoun;  mailison (ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 139); mellison (Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 50; Per. 1816 J. Duff Poems 107); mel(l)ishon, -an, -in, -e(e)n. Sc. usages. [Sh. ′mɛlɪʃən]

1. A malediction, a curse. Now arch. or dial. in Eng.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 165:
He got his Mother's Malison, that Day, Spoken of him that has gotten an ill Wife.Sc. 1808 Scott Marmion v. xxv.:
Upon its dull destroyer's head! A minstrel's malison is said.Slk. 1818 Hogg Hunt of Eildon (1874) 234:
He gave him his malison, which, he assured him, would not fall to the ground.ne.Sc. 1836 J. Grant Tales (1869) 28:
Douglas Millar rushed from the house, invoking malisons on half the world.Lth. 1844 Zoologist II. 558:
Malisons, malisons mair than ten, That herry the Ladie o' Heeven's hen.Lnk. 1865 J. Hamilton Poems and Sk. 68:
My malison on them, baith heavy an' deep, Wha laid the first bow o' gude barley asteep.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 103:
“Geud keep me fae his filt'y cleuks!” Co' Robie, ap amang the creuks: Wi malesins fu' deep an' siccer.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 104:
On sic a Ack, noo mony a saal Prays mellishin!wm.Sc. 1989 Anna Blair The Goose Girl of Eriska 100:
'Threttie golden pounds paid I for my coal-black horse, and more faith have I in her, than in your malisons.' And the last she heard was the thunder of hooves. em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 23:
"Ma malisoun an curse gang wi ye:
I lay upon ye pyne an gloom.
In hellfire ye sall roast for aye:
An this I dae pronoonce for doom."

2. Principally in Sh. usage, freq. as an imprecation: the plague, the devil (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Sh. 1962).Sh. 1898 Shetland News (20 Aug.):
Whin dey tak a thing i' der heads, da melishen himsel' widna put dem aff hit.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 44:
Depend doo apon it, eddicashion is playin' da mellishon wi' croftin'.Sh. 1958 Shetland News (30 Dec.) 4:
Dey buist ta be a mellishon's kaald apo dee.

3. A mischievous child (Cai.⁴ 1920; Sh., Cai. 1962).