We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By clicking 'continue' or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings in your browser at any time.

Continue
Find out more

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
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.

MANISHEE, n. Also manishi, -chee, manashe. A woman. Gipsy, but now also used by non-gipsy speakers in Rxb. (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., 1951 John o' London's Weekly (17 Aug.)).Rxb. 1950 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 331:
You won't see any gipsies in Yetholm now. Not a gadgee nor a manishi treads the quiet streets of the little Roxburghshire village.
ne.Sc. 1958 Jessie Kesson The White Bird Passes (1987) 54:
"...Then we'd suddenly remember what this cove had called us last year, or the names this manashe had spat at us the year before. ...."
Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 12:
Of course this wid cause laughter among the manishees, all except Muggie, wha wis a cut abeen the rest.

[Gipsy, from Sanskrit mānusī, id.]

18154

snd