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.
RAMMAGE, adj. Also ramage. [′rɑmədʒ]
1. Of persons: wild, excited, unruly, unmanageable. Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1714 Vindication Ch. Scot. from W. Dugud 54:
Mr Dugud seemed rammage and forward.Sc. 1749 Letter in Atholl MSS.:
He had been in several partes of Holland, and had seen so many fine things he was quite Ramage.
2. Frenzied, crazed with drink; sexually excited, voluptuous.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 406:
When a man is rammaged, that is raised, craz'd, or damaged with drink, we say that man looks ree.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xxiv. 42:
Thar sal the rammage an' the haluckit be plopp'd i' brennin' pick an' smushy brunstane.
3. Of the ground: rough, broken, uneven; or phs. scrubby, covered with brushwood.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 500:
And o'er a knabliech stane, He rumbled down a rammage glyde.
