Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

PICTARNIE, n. Also pi(c)k-, pickie-, -ka, picca-; -tarn(e), -y, -tern(ie), -o, -tarntie, -y, -ity, -tar(r)(ie), -taurie, -tarrock, picketa (I.Sc. 1837 R. Dunn Ornith. Guide 107); pitcarnie (Ags. 1890 Brechin Advert. (19 Aug.)), pickencyarr. [pɪk(ɪ)′tɑr(ne)]

1. The common or arctic tern or sea swallow, Sterna hirundo or paradisaea (Ags. 1784 Gentleman's Mag. II. 505; Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1845 Stat. Acc.² XIII. 12, piktarrock; Sh., Ork., Fif., e.Lth. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 202, picket-a, piccatarrie; ne.Sc. 1903 G. Sim Fauna “Dee” 179, pictarny; Sh. 1932 J. Saxby Trad. Lore 198, piccataurie; Sh., Ork., Fif. 1965). Comb. pictar storm, a storm occurring about the beginning of April when the terns are returning from wintering abroad (Mry.¹ 1930).Knr. 1771 T. Pennant Tour 1769 65:
The birds that breed on the isles [in Loch Leven] are Herring Gulls, Pewit Gulls, and great Terns, called here Pictarnes.Ork. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VII. 547:
The birds of passage are pretty numerous. Among these the pickternies . . . are the principal.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxxix.:
“What do you see extraordinary about that bird, Hector? — it's but a sea-maw.” “It's a pictarnie, sir,” said Edie.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
It is said proverbially, “If ye do that,” or “If that be sae, I'se be a pictarnie,” . . . referring to a thing supposed to be impracticable or incredible.Bnff. 1876 S. Smiles Sc. Naturalist 237:
I observed several parties of Pickietars busily employed in fishing in the firth.Ags. 1893 Brechin Advertiser (17 Jan.) 3:
Ye'll hear pictarnie wildly screechin!Mry. 1914 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 25:
The storms of the year were named: the pictar storm came between the 1st and 8th of April.Ork. 1930 Weekly Scotsman (12 April):
These pugnacious birds, the Arctic and Sandwich terns, which visit the islands during the summer months, are named pickieternos.

2. The blackheaded gull, Larus ridibundus (Ags. 1813 J. Headrick Agric. Ags. 42, pictarny, Ags. 1825 Jam., pictarnitie; Rxb. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 209, pictarn; Cai ⁹ 1939, pickencyarr; Mry. 1955 Northern Scot (24 Sept.), pickietar; Ags.²⁰ 1957, picktarn(t)ie). Cf. Pickmaw.Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fife 43:
The Larus Cinereus, Niger, the common Sea-Mall, and the least sort called the Pitcarne [sic].

‡3. The oyster-catcher, Haematopus ostralegus (Bnff. 1965).

4. Fig., a thin, wretched-looking person, an ill-cared-for wretch, a “scarecrow”, “fright”, “guy” (Kcd.⁵ 1944, pictarnity); a bad-tempered person (Cai.⁹ 1939).Abd. 1832 Aberdeen Mag. (May) 253:
He described his wife as being a perfect piktarnty.Abd. 1868 J. Riddell Aberdeen 13:
A peer pykit-to-dead-like pictarntie o' a forfairn craeter.