Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1837-1854
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PEUTHER, n., v.1 Also pewther (e.Lth. 1801 R. Gall Poems (1819) 185), puther (Sc. 1756 M. Calderwood Journey (M.C.) 139), pother (Sc. 1703 Ho. Bk. Lady G. Baillie (S.H.S.) 169); pouder (Lnk. 1701 Lnk. Presb. Reg. (1839) 136), puder (Rxb. 1711 J. J. Vernon Par. Hawick (1900) 86); pyouter (Abd. 1885 Folk-Lore Jnl. III. 270). Deriv. peutherer, pewtherer, a worker in pewter (Edb. 1700 Edb. Marriage Reg. (S.R.S.) 511; Sc. 1732 Caled. Mercury (1 May), 1786 Edb. Burgesses (S.R.S.) 142).
Sc. forms and usages of Eng. pewter:
I. n. 1. As in Eng. Comb. pewter-heid, a dunderhead, numskull, "stupid ass". blockhead.s.Sc. 1837 T. T. Stoddart Angling Reminisc. 42:
I'd gie a croon-piece for a grip o' ane o' your throttles, ye senseless pewter-heids.
II. v. To drink (spirits, etc.) from a (pewter) vessel, to go drinking, go "on a binge", phs. with a pun on Pewther, v.2, 2.Gsw. 1854 Gsw. Past & Pres. (1884) II. 173:
The tosses being all made of pewther, there hence arose the old Scotch joke, passed upon a hard drinker, viz. "He has been a pewthering."
