Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SLUNG, n.1, v. [slʌŋ]
I. n. 1. A sling for hurling stones (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ags., Fif., Slg., Lnl., wm.Sc., Kcb. 1970). Comb. slung-stane, a stone for use in a sling, freq. in phr. like a slung-stane, as if from nowhere, “like a bolt from the blue” (Abd. 1970).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 89:
Tho' I'm amo' you cast like a slung stane.Abd. 1895 J. Davidson Old Ministers 104:
Ye're nae jist like ane o oorsel's; ye cam' in amon's like a slung stane.Ags. 1897 Bards Ags. (Reid) 221:
You ken how David wi' a slung, Did cast a stane.
2. A gangling simpleton, a “tall, lank booby” (Abd. 1825 Jam.); a disreputable character, a scoundrelly fellow (Ib.; ne.Sc. 1970)Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1873) 30:
And Kate says, See, ye stupid slung, Fat wye ye've fyl'd my curch.Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 127:
Colleaguin' wi' sic nasty slungs, Ye learn the very warst o' tongues.Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 51:
An orra slung, hed stown a silver watch.Abd. 1916 G. Abel Wylins 128:
His brither wis a slung.Abd. 1965 Huntly Express (25 June) 2:
He wis a dour slung onywye.
II. v. To hurl as from a sling, to expel forcibly (Ayr. 1880 Jam.). Cf. colloq. Eng. sling.
[O.Sc. slonge, a.1400, sl(o)ung, c.1420, a sling. Prob. from a Scand. variant of Mid. Ger. slinge, Eng. sling. Cf. Swed. slunge, Norw., Dan. slynge. For I. 2. cf. Norw. dial. slyngja, to loaf about, a lazy slut, a long thin person.]
