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: 1704-1751, 1828, 1929-1963
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PULLEY, n. Also pulaye, pule (Bnff. 1721 Rec. Bnff. (S.C.) 335–6), pulli-, puhlla-, polly- (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); pillie (Bwk. 1729 R. G. Johnston Duns (1953) 75), pilly. Pl. ¶pulse. Sc. forms and usages. The pl. form is once found used as a v., pillies, to raise by means of pulleys, see 1725 quot.Gsw. 1725 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 236:
£110s. for pilliesing planks from the quier to the vyces.
Combs.: (1) pulley-brae, in Mining: “a self-acting incline” (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 53), one on which a windlass pulley is used for haulage of hutches; (2) pullishee, pulis-, puhlla-, pulleyshee, pullisee, polly-, poleshie, and ? erron. pulley-hees, a pulley of any kind, esp. a contrivance consisting of a rope running on a pole as a prop, used to hang clothes out of a window to dry (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ags., Edb., Lnk., Ayr. 1967). The second element is the reduced form of sheave (see etym. note).(2) Fif. 1704 Rothes MSS.:
For a poleshie to the burds cage . . . 10s.Fif. 1720–30 St Andrews Univ. MSS. (St Leonards 705):
That on the top of the westmost stair they putt up a pulse bellhouse.Sc. 1724 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 72:
How Wedges rive the Aik; — How Pullieses Can lift on highest Roofs the greatest Trees.Sc. 1751 Session Papers, Straton v. Renny (18 June) 6:
She fancied . . . that they were hoising her up to the Top of the Steeple by a Pulleyshie.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch xix.:
Having fastened a kinch of ropes beneath her oxters, I let her slide down over the upper step, by way of a pillyshee.Edb. 1929 F. Grierson Haunting Edinburgh 1:
The air is a flutter with the washing that hangs from the pullishees, instruments not unlike gallows.Bwk. 1943 W. L. Ferguson Vignettes 65:
A washin' hings at the pulley-hees, Flappin' and flichterin' i' the breeze.Ags. 1963 D. Phillips Wiselike Ned 13:
Pittin' ur father's shirt oot on the puhllashee.
