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.
Quotation dates: 1827
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MEARNS, prop.n. Gen. with def. art.: the name of the old Celtic province now represented by Kincardineshire, the eastern county of Scotland lying between the rivers Dee and North Esk (Kcd. 1914 J. C. Watt Mearns of Old 4–5, 1932 L. G. Gibbon Sunset Song 16 and passim). In adv. phr. Mearns fashion, in a bungling, incompetent manner, topsy-turvy (Fif. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 199). [mɛrnz, mernz]Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce I. xiii.:
Richie Whands of the Royals . . . had a leg set on with the Riga. But thae blockheads of Penguins, as you call them, did his leg-job Mearns fashion, — clapped the calf where the shin should be.
