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: 1897
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MOD, n.2 Also modd; mö; and deriv. forms modder; mudder. [mo:d(ər); mø; mʌdər] A small quantity (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.), a small object; a quantity of small undersized objects or creatures (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1963), freq. attrib. as in modd-taaties, undersized potatoes for feeding swine, modd-silleks, tiny coalfish (Ib.); smithereens, fine dust or powder (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., mudder), hence phr. laid in modder, reduced to fragments, crushed (Jak.).Sh. 1897 J. Jakobsen Sh. Dial. 47:
In Aithsting “a lock o' mø” is jocularly applied to a quantity of small useless things (small potatoes, small sillocks).
