Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†SHEEN, n.2 The backbone of a fish.Per. 1836 G. Penny Traditions 237:
In the operation of dressing the fish, the backbones were extracted: these were sold to the inhabitants for a trifle, and supplied a good and cheap dinner to many a family in Perth. Twopence-worth of these “sheens,” as they were called, would have abundantly served a large family.
