Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PEE, v., n. Also pi(e), and deriv. peever, esp. of a child (w.Sc. 1825 Jam.).

I. v. tr. and intr. To urinate, wet with urine (w.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., pi). Gen.Sc., also colloq. and dial. Eng. Vbl.n.pl. peeins, urine (ne.Sc., Ags. 1965). Comb. pee-the-bed, n., the dandelion (Ayr. 1930; n.Sc., Ags., Edb. 1965), from its diuretic properties. Cf. Eng. pissabed, Fr. pisse-en-lit, id.Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 47:
He [a cat] never stealt though he was poor, Nor ever pee'd his master's floor.Rnf. 1805 G. McIndoe Poems 39:
He pies his dam upon his mither, And mak's a midden o' her lap.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 67:
Yon white starns wi gowden core,
the gowans, are on the gress aince mair,
an' pee-the-beds, puir craturs, the true suns;
dutch-admirals an' daffens an' monie as bricht.

II. n. Urine (w.Sc. 1825 Jam.), the act of urinating. Gen.Sc. Also ¶peever (Jam.).Arg. 1902 R. Maclagan Evil Eye 51:
“The milk has gone along with the pee” . . . understood by the reciter to mean the milk that should have nourished the child was to turn into water in the mother's system, and be so discharged.