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.
TANSY, n. Also tansie, -zie; erron. trancy (Abd. c.1700 J. Maidment New Bk. Old Ballads (1891) 11). As in Eng., the flower Tanacetum vulgare, but in Sc. applied more freq. to the ragwort, Senecio jacobaea (Abd. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 XII 965; n.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Lnk., Slk. 1972), which established itself in Scot. in the mid. 18th c.Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 21:
Wad ye compare ye'r sell to me, A docken till a tansie?Sc. 1823 M. & M. Corbett Petticoat Tales I. 240:
Apple-ringy, or tansy or thyme.Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 32:
Upon the green grass amid the golden tanzies.Ags. 1897 Bards Ags. (Reid) 16:
I lo'e the tansy, that grows on the brae.Abd. 1918 C. Murray Sough o' War 42:
He dells the yard, an' wi' the scythe cuts tansies on the brae.Abd. 1970 Buchan Observer (11 Aug.) 6:
Ragwort, commonly misnamed Tansy in this area.
Phr. and comb.: my delight's in tansies, a girls' singing and kissing game, so called from the first line of the song (Sth. 1897 E.W.B. Nicholson Golspie 130); ‡tansy-face, a freckled face (Abd. 1972).
