Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SMOKE, n., v. Also smok(k) (Sh.); smock. See also Smeek, Smook.
I. n.
Sc. forms of Eng. smoke.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 79:
"Thir's no smock withoot fire," said Mrs Manson.
"Whar's spickan aboot smock," snorted her husband. "Dinno change the subchect. Whar gied thee this letter?"Arg. 1998 Angus Martin The Song of the Quern 51:
Yon nicht, steeved wi a sleever,
rowlin roon the Cock,
her forefut fa'in canny,
buffin seas tae smok,
Sc. usages:
1. As in Eng. Sc. comb. and phrs.: (1) smoke-brod, -buird, -board, a wooden flap or canopy placed over a fireplace to regulate the draught and prevent the chimney from smoking. Gen. (exc.I.) Sc., obsol.; (2) smoke o' tobacco, as much tobacco as will fill a pipe (I. and ne.Sc., Ags., Per., Kcb. 1970); (3) to knock smoke out o', to handle roughly, trounce, “dust one's jacket” (Cai. 1970).(1) Sc. 1850 Ogilvie Dict.:
Smoke-board, a board hung in front of a fire, to keep the smoke from emerging into the apartment.Gsw. 1879 A. G. Murdoch Rhymes 88:
The blankets aff the bed I tore, An' hung them frae the smoke-brod doon.(2) Dmb. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xi.:
I wadna gi'e a smoke o' tobacco for a' the women betwixt this and Jerusalem.Sh. 1931 J. Nicolson Incidents 41:
A “smokk o' tabaka ta faider”.Abd. 1950:
As lang's he can get a smoke o' tobacco, he's weel eneuch shootit.
2. By metonymy, an inhabited house, a dwelling (Sc. 1825 Jam.), gen. in Highland contexts, corresp. to Lowland Reek, n.1, 3., and prob. a translation of Gael. deatach, smoke, an inhabited house. This usage is also Anglo-Irish.Inv. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 IV. 316:
For 6 miles in a well inhabited extent, there was not a smoke remaining.Hebr. 1883 Good Words XXIV. 717:
There are [on Mingulay] in all thirty houses, or ‘smokes', as they are called.Rs. 1951 Scots Mag. (July) 251:
Of the total items — 627 — appearing in the 1947 Valuation Roll there are 425 equipped with a dwelling-house, so that there is approximately that number of homes or “smokes” in the parish.Inv. 1954 Scots Mag. (March) 461:
Old inhabitants recall the day when there were still “smokes” in some of these townships.
†3. “Hot ashes” (Sh. 1904 E.D.D.).
4. In dim. smokie, an unsplit smoked haddock. Gen.Sc. See Finnan. The form is either a subst. use of the adj. smoky, tasting of smoke, or a reduced dim. from smokit (fish).Abd. 1891 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) XIV. 243:
Will ye buy ony fish — Bonnie smokies, as cheap as they're clean.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Heatherland 71:
No e'en a herrin' red, nor yet a smok'.Abd. 1897 E. Bain Finnan Haddie 11:
There is also a growing demand for what are known as “smokies”, and Moray Firth pale cure haddocks.Abd. 1910 J. Eunson Pioneer (1959) 27:
Smokies and Cooked Fish ready to eat, Fish Hams. King and Queen Smokies.Ags. 1965 Arbroath Guide (3 April) 4:
The older generation argue that the old time “smokie” is a haddock freshly caught by line and smoked in the Arbroath way.
II. v.
Sc. form of Eng. smoke.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 5:
" ... Noo, on the debit side - he's a peedie bit ower fond o' home brew, he smocks a lot, an' he his a wanderin' eye for ither lasses at times. ..."
