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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SWANKIE, prop.n. A surname common among the fisher population of Arbroath and neighbourhood, poss. arising from swankie s.v. Swank, adj., orig. used as a nickname. Hence Swankie's doo, -hen, a jocular local name for a sea-gull (Ags. 1972).Ags. 1964 Dundee Courier (21 March) 8:
“Swankie's hens” are made of more mettlesome stuff than the farmyard variety.

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