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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.

SPUNKIE, n. Also spunk(e)y. [′spʌŋki]

1. ‡(1) A will-o'-the-wisp, Ignis fatuus (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 18; ne., em.Sc.(a) 1971), freq. personified and used without the article as prop. n. Also attrib. and in phr. and combs. spunkie of wild-fire, id., Auld Spunkie, Spunkie-clootie (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.), the Devil, Satan. See Clootie, n.²Sc. 1727 P. Walker Remark. Passages 94:
Willies with the Wisps or Spunkies of Wildfire, seen mostly in boguish myrish ground, in louring, foulsom, unwholsom weather.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 236:
Many a good boat has Spunkie drownd.Ayr. 1793 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 561:
The Devil that, my grannie (an old woman indeed!) often told me, rode on Will o' wisp, or, in her more classic phrase, Spunkie.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 219:
I lookit owre the spunkie howe.Sc. 1816 Scott B. Dwarf ii.:
The ordinary resort of kelpies, spunkies, and other demons.Rnf. 1830 A. Picken Dominie's Legacy II. 177:
Hoot, man, ye're fou! Ye see double; it's only spunkie.Edb. 1851 A. MacLagan Sketches 253:
Spunkie lichts may lead puir wichts Through bogs an' droonin' ditches.Edb. 1872 J. Smith Jenny Blair 38:
Wad it be Auld Spunkie, think ye?Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 6:
The news like spunkey flees.Sc. 1887 Stevenson Thrawn Janet:
Whiles he saw spunkies in the room.Per. 1898 C. Spence Poems 139:
The spunkie-haunted bog, Where sank the shepherd and his dog.Abd. 1904 W. A. G. Farquhar Fyvie Lintie 108:
By kirk or market, wood or glen, Fient ane's been scared by Spunkie.Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne 32:
I gaed through the darkest, dunkest bit o' Shinnel Glen as croose as a spunkie.Per.⁴ 1950:
I saw spunkies as I was comin by the haugh.Sc. 1966 Scotland's Mag. (Jan.) 9:
A charm against all injuries from spunkies.

(2) Sea phosphorescence (Fif. c.1890 Gregor MSS.; Nai. 1904 E.D.D.); wild-fire, sheet lightning (Ork. 1971).

2. In extended use: the reflection of light on a wall from a mirror, the surface of a pail of water, etc. (Lnk. 1900).

3. (1) A spirited, game, dashing fellow, a smart, lively young person (Sc. 1808 Jam.; ne., m.Sc. 1971).Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 148:
An' frae his [Cupid's] bow, the shafts, fu' snack, Pierc'd monie a spunkie's liver.Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals x.:
She was such a spirit in her way, that the folks called her Spunkie.Sc. 1897 L. Keith Bonnie Lady iii.:
If yon spunkie of a Captain should dare put an affront on you.Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters xvii.:
Logan thought him a hardy young spunkie.Sc. 1944 Scots Mag. (March) 475:
Where are you goin' ye spunkie?

(2) A fiery irascible person, one who is likely to flare up at the least provocation (Ayr. 1825 Jam.).Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie lviii.:
The earl has of late grown a perfect spunky, and flies off at the head like a bottle of champagne.Sc. 1897 L. Keith Bonnie Lady v.:
Nothing, indeed, but crabbit words, or worse, from Mrs. Minto, who was a very spunkie of passion.

4. Whisky, spirits.Ayr. 1786 Burns To J. Kennedy iii.:
Gie me just a true good fellow, . . . And spunkie ance to mak us mellow.