Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CLECKIN(G), n.2 Also clekane. A shuttlecock (Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 106). See Cleckinbrod and note, and Clackan above.Ags. 1868 G. Webster Strathbrachan I. ix.:
You handled him as if he had been a cleckin.
Hence fig. ¶clekane-witted, flighty, scatter-brained.Ags. 1873 D. M. Ogilvy Poems 18:
It's a' for greed, it's a' for pelf, She's ta'en the clekane-witted elf.