Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1724-1827, 1882-1922
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SOUP, n.1, v.1 Also soop, sup (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.). [sup]
I. n. A quantity of liquid, essentially a small amount, a sip, a spoonful, but freq. used ironically for quite a considerable amount, esp. of spirits (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 176; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Fif., wm. and sm.Sc., Rxb. 1971). Also in Eng. dial. When followed by a qualifying noun the o(f) is gen. omitted. See O, prep., 1. (5). Phr. a bite and a soup, a small amount to eat and drink (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 14:
My doggie and my little kit That held my wee soup whey.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 93:
A wee soup drink dis unco weel To had the heart aboon.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 97:
The goodwife collected a soup out of every cog.Edb. 1798 D. Crawford Poems 44:
To coup a gay soup o'er their hass.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality vi.:
There's puir distressed whigs enow will be glad to do that for a bite and a soup.Sc. 1823 E. Logan St Johnstoun II. ix.:
Naething louses the jaw like a soup drink.Sc. 1827 G. R. Kinloch Ballad Book (1885) 54:
There was nae drink but a soup I' the boddom o' a tun.Fif. 1882 S. Tytler Sc. Marriages III. 118:
Try him wi' a soup o' brandy.Per. 1912 J. H. Findlater Sc. Stories 52:
I can gie her a soop o' watter noo an' again.Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 14:
Burns gi'ed him Hornbook's paregoric But a'e soup finished auld Wat Doric.
II. v. 1. tr. and intr. To eat with a spoon (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.).
2. To drink copiously (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 176).
[O.Sc. soup, = I., 1649. Apparently a direct descendant of O.E. sūpa(n), a, to sup. Cf. Sowp, n.1, Sup.]
