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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.

TEE, n.¹, v.¹ Also T (Sc. a.1872 D. Macleod Memoir N. Macleod II. 223). [ti:]

I. n. 1. Golf: the small heap of sand or earth from which the ball is driven at the start of each hole (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc.; †by extension, the game of golf.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 223:
Driving their Baws frae Whins or Tee, There's no ae Gowfer to be seen.Ayr. 1765 Session Papers, Howetson v. Logan (23 July) 2:
They went from the wood to play at the tee.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Traditions I. 225:
Represented in the habit of a Golfer, in the act of striking a ball from the tee.Sc. 1887 Golfing (Chambers) 46:
What he gained from the tee, I always made up in the short play.

Combs.: (1) tee bank, the sloping edge of a golfing-green on which the tee is set; (2) tee-shot, the first stroke for every hole, played from a tee. Gen.Sc.; (3) tee-stroke, id.(1) Fif. 1955 St Andrews Cit. (13 Aug.) 7:
He had to play an awkward shot from the tee-bank.(2) Sc. 1862 R. Chambers Rambling Remarks 14:
The tee-shots are usually the furthest, long drivers being able to send a ball upwards of two hundred yards.Sc. 1878 Scotsman (3 Oct.) 7:
Mr Whigham, who played an excellent tee shot.Sc. 1891 J. G. McPherson Golf & Golfers 42:
A tall red flag is placed at the spot behind which a good driver ought to carry his tee-shot.Sc. 1959 Scotsman (20 May) 16:
R. W. Miller holed his tee shot at the sixth.(3) Fif. 1857 H. B. Farnie Golfer's Manual 55:
We are now fairly started, the tee stroke played.

2. In Curling: the target for the stones, a mark set up on or cut in the ice and forming the centre of several concentric circles towards which the stones are aimed (Sc. 1811 J. Ramsay Acct. Curling 4, 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 167:
A slow shot drew, wi' muckle care, Which settled on the tee.Sc. 1810 J. Fisher Winter Season 75:
The tee is of a circular form, with a small hole cut in the middle.Sc. 1858 Chambers's Jnl. (17 April) 249:
Two marks, called tees, being made on the ice at the distance of thirty-eight yards.Sc. 1890 J. Kerr Hist. Curling 155:
At the end of each rink was the tee. . . . A bawbee, a pinch of snuff, or a plain button inserted in the ice . . . a later improvement was “a circular piece of iron with a hole drilled in the centre and having a small prong immediately opposite, which is pressed down into the ice to keep it fixed.Kcd. 1899 A. C. Cameron Fettercairn 58:
The stones as they sped their way over the ice from crampit to tee.Sc. 1951 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 301:
The crampits are laid true and square. the “cocks,” “tees” or “dollies” set up.

Combs.: (1) tee-drawn, of a shot at curling: directed accurately to reach the tee. See Draw, v., 13.; (2) tee head, (i) the circles round the tee within which the stones must lie in order to count in the game; (ii) transf. the top of a draughtboard, the crown-head (Ayr.² 1928). Cf. Buird, n., 10. (3) (b); (3) tee-high, †-hoie, of a curling-stone: lying on the tee; (4) tee-ringer, an instrument used in curling to mark the circles round the tee. It is usually a board with pins or nails at the required intervals along its edge, pivoted at one end of the tee and pressed into the ice compass-wise to scratch out the circumferences; ¶(5) tee-score, the circles round the tee, = (2) (i). Cf. hog-score s.v. Hog, n.¹, 2.; (6) tee-shot, a shot which reaches the tee; (7) tee-wecht, = (3) (Kcb. 1972).(1) Sc. 1850 J. Struthers Winter Day ii. ix.:
Tee-drawn shots the smooth-lead fill, Or ports are wick'd with hair-breadth skill.(2) (i) Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 51:
The curling stane he'd play fu' leal, And make the shots a', clatterin', reel Round the tee head.Slg. 1893 R. M. Fergusson My Village 159:
The tee-head's a graund leveller. I can order aboot the very Curnel whan I'm skip.(3) Slk. 1897 D. W. Purdie Poems 72, 97:
The skip he danced, an' roared for joy — Cried, “King o' players, tee hoie! tee hoie!”. . . Tam, this stane is fair tee high Lay on for here, jist chap an' lie.(4) Sc. 1890 J. Kerr Hist. Curling 199:
Another of the founders of the Currie Club — Robert Palmer, schoolmaster — was the inventor of the tee-ringer.Sc. 1914 J. G. Grant Complete Curler 91:
Two of the players take an instrument called a tee-ringer, and, placing it on the ice near the end of the rink, sweep out three concentric circles at once.(5) Ags. 1897 Bards Ags. (Reid) 169:
The tee score's markit roon.(6) Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 64:
Our hinhaun, unrivall'd at drawin', Sen's up a tee-shot to a hair.

3. A mark set up as the target or goal in quoits or carpet bowls, the jack, etc. (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; sm.Sc. 1972). Also tee-head (Dmf. 1956).

4. Any small heap of earth, sand, like a golf-tee.Sc. 1875 A. Smith Lewsiana 147:
Each [shell] is seated on a sandy “tee”, formed by the wind sweeping away the sand around it.

II. v. 1. To place a golf ball on a tee (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1754 C. B. Clapcott Rules of Golf (1935) 21:
You must tee your ball within a club-length of the hole.Sc. 1783 in C. Smith Abd. Golfers (1909) 16:
The Distance from the Hole, in Teeing, shall not exceed two Lengths of a Club.Sc. 1812 J. B. Salmond R. & A. (1956) 78:
If a Ball is lost, the stroke goes for nothing, the Player returns to the spot whence the Ball was struck, tees it, and loses a stroke.Sc. 1856 H. S. C. Everard Hist. R. & A. Golf Club 160:
In Medal playing a ball may, under a penalty of two strokes, be lifted out of a difficulty of any description and teed behind the hazard.Sc. 1887 Stevenson Underwoods 134:
As at the gowff, some canny play'r Should tee a common ba' wi' care.

Phrs. and combs.: (1) tee'd ba', a golf ball which has been teed; also fig. a person who or a state of affairs which requires no further intervention to turn out well, a success from the start (Sc. 1828 G. R. Kinloch MSS.); (2) tee'd shot, the first stroke in a hole of golf, the drive from the tee; (3) tee'd stroke, id.; (4) teeing ground, the small level patch on which a ball is teed, a golf-green; (5) teeing place, id.(1) Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 64:
That's a tee'd ba'.Edb. 1811 H. Macneill Bygane Times 15:
Whan I see ilk ane striking the tee'd ba, Maun I no gie't a gowf as weil's the rest?Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. xiii.:
All that is managed for ye like a tee'd ball.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xviii.:
Seeing me so firm with the Advocate, and persuaded that I was to fly high and far, they had taken a word from the golfing-green, and called me the Tee'd Ball.(2) Fif. 1869 St Andrews Gaz. (15 May):
Having laid his ball by his “teed” shot in the cart track.(3) Fif. 1869 St Andrews Gaz. (15 May):
Ferguson played his “teed” stroke over to the railway.(4) Sc. 1862 R. Chambers Rambling Remarks 7:
Commencing at a spot a few yards in front of the home hole — the teeing-ground.Sc. 1875 C. B. Clapcott Rules of Golf (1935) 109:
The Ball must be teed not nearer the hole than eight nor further than twelve club lengths, except where special ground has been marked by the Conservator of the Links, which shall be considered the “Teeing Ground.”Ags. 1893 “Vathek” Brechin 37:
The members have erected a neat golf-house hard by the first teeing-ground.(5) Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Poet. Remains (1883) 59:
O Cartgate, for behold the bunker opes Right to the teeing place its yawning chops.

2. With up: to pile or heap up like a tee.Gsw. 1937 F. Niven Staff at Simson's xv.:
A small pyramid of earth he had teed-up against the hoarding.