Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PINCIL, n. Sc. form of Eng. pencil.m.Sc. 1991 Robert Calder in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 139:
Weel kennt it is Eck bous for nane:
folk wee as he is nane. The faut
is Eck's that aye in snaw, wund, rain,
he bou'd til nobs: the price gey saut
wes that his back set stiff frae end til end
straucht as a pincil, canna bend!m.Sc. 1997 Liz Niven Past Presents 16:
Breathin oot the names
Written fae flair tae ruif
O the deid Jews.
Lines loast when Russians
"Restored" the was.
Noo wirkmen redraw wi care
These pincil guidelines,
Scrieve again the names —
History rewritten yince mair.w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 7:
Builders ken hoo ti build hooses,
while Architects think they're the brains.
Pincils an Pens hae thir uses, —
it's Hammers an Saws that build hames.Edb. 2003:
Whit a pincils Ah get through in this joab.
