Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1747, 1828-1876
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MONEY, n. Sc. usages:
1. Construed as a coll. pl. The writer is a Gaelic speaker.Sc. 1747 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) II. 2:
Since money are so scarce with use [us].
2. Combs.: (1) black money, counterfeit coins, esp. halfpence (see quot.); ¶(2) money-nifferer, a money-changer. See Niffer; (3) white-money, silver coins (I.Sc., Abd., Ags., Per. 1963). Obs. in Eng. Cf. Fite, adj., 6.(1) Rnf. 1876 W. Hector Judicial Rec. 133:
A century and a half ago Scotland was inundated with "Black Money", or counterfeit Irish and Scots halfpence, chiefly, it was supposed, imported from Ireland. In the reign of George II, the officers of His Majesty's mint had to complain of this overflow of "Black Money", because it was so great as to cause "the good gould and silver to be drained, and the country to be villanously cheated."(2) Sc. 1862 G. Henderson St. Matthew xxi. 12:
Jesus cowpit the tables o' the money-nifferers.(3) Abd. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads I. 59:
I wou'd gie my white money and gowd, O bonny Jean, to borrow thee.
