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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.

TEEDY, adj. Also tedy; teethie, -y. Esp. of children: peevish, cross, fractious (Bwk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Wgt. 1972); tart, ill-tempered. Also in n.Eng. dial. [′tidi, ′tiði]s.Sc. 1809 T. Donaldson Poems 170:
Were I to beg an' be beguil'd, I'd be as tedy as a child.
s.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
A teethy answer, a tart reply.
Lnk. 1895 W. C. Fraser Whaups xii.:
She was aye a terrible sherp teethy creatur'.
Dmf. 1898 J. Paton Castlebraes 129:
My first rather teethy speech from the Chair.

[Appar. a variant of North. Mid.Eng. tethee, testy, crabbed, and Eng. dial. teety, id., of obscure orig. but prob. later associated with teeth, sc. ‘biting'.]

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