Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DISSIE, v., n. Also dizzy, dissy.
I. v. To desert, jilt (Edb., Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).Gsw. 1958 C. Hanley Dancing in Streets 107:
Sometimes people who hadn't been able to get into the pictures or who had been dissied by girl-friends, came up to sit at the fire and talk.
II. n. A jilting, disappointing, failure to keep a courting appointment (Fif., Lnk. 1975; Fif., Edb., Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 13:
Ah wis black affronted gittin a dissy at Boots's coarner. I was really embarrassed when my date didn't show up at our meeting place in the City Centre. wm.Sc. 1991 Bill Sutherland in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 146:
An if some night ye're thrown a dizzy
an he tells you he's awfy busy
an you're sat hame ther wonderin 'Is he?' -
then jist walk roon an talk tae me. Sc. 1996 Sunday Mail 18 Feb 15:
And to her fury, Liza gives her a "dissy". Four months later they met up in London...and you'll see the outcome of that tonight as well. Sc. 1998 Herald 29 Sep 19:
The Diary recalls that the place was called Boots Corner for the very obvious reason that it was in the shelter of the Boots store that the swains and swainettes would await their destiny. Often their destiny did not turn up which was described as a "dissy". The dizzy bit, as we recall, would come later when the disappointed ones went on to drown their sorrows.
Comb.: Dissy Corner, nickname for the corner of Union Street and Argyle Street, Glasgow, a popular meeting place.Sc. 2002 Evening Times 28 Jan 12:
Corner of Union Street and Argyle Street
Although it might now be a spot outside a fastfood restaurant, from many Glasgow couples Dissy Corner is a place that holds fond memories.
Although it got its name through the disappointment caused when a date failed to appear, this was a place of more happy meetings than lonely non-encounters.Sc. 2002 Evening Times 30 Jan 12:
I have many fond memories of my winchin' days at the Barrowland - though I've also got a few unhappy memories of Dissy Corner!
But Glasgow is a great city and always has been.
