Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
‡MAXIE, n. An abbreviated dim. form of the Latin maximus error, a gross error in a Latin translation, entailing the highest deduction of marks as a penalty (ne.Sc. 1962).Ags. 1860 A. Whamond James Tacket xviii.:
I took great pains to avoid what we called maxies, construed every sentence, and was satisfied that I had made no grammatical errors.Abd. 1868 J. Riddell Aberdeen and Its Folk 28:
He had examined a version which was correct in every respect, except in the use of one unfortunate word near the end, by which mischance a “maxie” had to be marked on the paper.Kcb. 1904 Crockett Strong Mac xxiv.:
None of the crew but Wee Peerie could read a page of Virgil without a dozen “maxies”.Bnff. c.1920 D. G. McLean Fordyce Academy (1936) 190:
By the fire sat Mr Simpson, with a bundle of Latin exercises on his knee, hunting for “maxies” with, to us, an altogether perverted energy.Abd.16 1934:
A mistake entailing deduction of four marks was a “maxie”.
