Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866-1955
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PLYPE, n., v., adv. Also plipe. Freq. form plyper.
I. n. 1. A sudden dash of water or the like, the noise made by this (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131; ne.Sc., Ags. 1966); a sudden heavy shower of rain, a Plump (Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Abd. 1966); a fall into water, the noise so made (Ags. 1825 Jam.; Abd. 1966), a soaking, splash.Bwk. 1875 W. Brockie Leaderside Leg. 25:
Mony a plype it gat.s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws xiv.:
There was a plype o' rain falling at the time.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xiv.:
Cheese an' breed washen doon wi plipes o' caal watter.
2. The act of dabbling or messing around in a liquid, a Plowter (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131).
3. A wet, marshy place, a bog, morass.Abd. 1932 R. L. Cassie Sc. Sangs 31:
Plouterie plype, cloiterie clype, Reeskie moss an' pick-black strype.
II. v. 1. intr. To drop suddenly into a liquid, plunge or splash in(to) mud or water (Ags. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1966). Vbl.n. plypan, a sudden plunge into water or the like, a plop (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131).Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
Plype doon fan the jaw's comin'.
2. To dabble or work messily and carelessly in a liquid or some wet material (Bnff., Abd. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1966), freq. with at (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131). Freq. form plyp(p)er, id. (Gregor s.v. plapper; Abd. 1930). Vbl.n. plypan, -in, a continuous splashing sound (Bnff. 1880 Jam.).Abd.14 c.1915:
I saw him this mornin', he wis fair plyperin' amo' his hey.Abd. 1954 Buchan Observer (16 Nov.):
Plipin an' plowterin i' that tub.
3. To walk on wet or muddy ground, to squelch along (ne.Sc., Ags. 1966).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131:
She geed plypin' through the closs wee a pail in ilky han'.
4. To hiccup noiselessly (Ayr. 1966).
III. adv. Suddenly, with a splash, plop! (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131; Bnff., Abd. 1880 Jam.).
[Onomat. Cf. Plaip, Plapper, plop, etc.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Plype n., v., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/plype>


