Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1785-1804, 1870-1934
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STUFF, n., v.1 Sc. usages: I. n. 1. Provisions, a store of food, eatables (Ork., Ags. 1971). Obs. in Eng. Deriv. stuffry, id.Rnf. 1870 J. Nicholson Idylls 113, 127:
O' Ne'rday stuffs we're weel laid in, A sonsy cheese . . . wi' crumpy cakes . . . Wi' ither sweet stuffries our gabbies to please.
2. Corn, grain, a crop; “whether as growing, cut down, in the barn, or in the mill” (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Ork., ne.Sc., Ags., Slg., Lth., Ayr., Kcb. 1971).Ayr. 1785 Burns Halloween xv.:
The simmer had been cauld an' wat An' stuff was unco green.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 67:
Lang winnow't she, an' fast, I wyte, An' snodly clean't the stuff.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 230:
It was in the back en' o' hairst, for the stuff was maist a' in.
3. As in colloq. Eng. with def. art.: whisky. Freq. in dim. form the stufie (Abd. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 246; ne.Sc., Ags. 1971).Abd. 1874 W. Scott Dowie Nicht 36:
Hover a blink till a tak a suppie o' the stuffie to ca the smush doon my craig.Abd. 1914 J. Leatham Daavit 21:
Rael fine stuffie.Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 1:
The stuffie's no' the real Mackay.Sc. 1934 Sc. N. & Q. (July) 100:
Faur there's ferlies and fearsome sichts, Ye're aye sure they're tursin th' stuffie.
II. v. 1. In local Ayr. usage: to paint.Ayr. 1885 J. Meikle Yachting Yarns 46:
We stuffed an' toshed up Jock's auld boat a wee.
2. In vbl.n. stuffin, starch, prob. orig. an altered form of Stiffin, id. (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.).Sh. 1898–9 Shetland News (8 Jan., 11 March):
Da bits o' white claes 'at I wis gaun ta irn is lyin' reddy, an noo da stuffin' 'at I laid i' da rack is no 'ithin him. . . . Isna stuffin' made oot o' tatties?
