Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BACK CLOSE, n. See 1964 quot. See Close n.1 4. (1).Gsw. 1964 George Friel The Boy who Wanted Peace (1985) 129:
The back-close is that part of the close that lies beyond the stairway to the flats and leads to the back-court. Since it usually turns at an angle from the front-close and can't be seen from the street it is the site of countless Glasgow courtships.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 17:
close ... The street entrance to a close is called the close-mouth and the rear part of a close is the back-close: 'Ye can leave yer bike in the back-close.'Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 1:
Back closes runnin wae dug pee and East End young team runnin wae the San Toy, the Kent Star, the Sally Boys, the Black Star, the Calton Entry Mob, and the Cheeky Forty, the Romeo Boys, the Antique Mob, and the Stickit Boys.Edb. 2005:
We used to play in the back close when it wis rainin.
