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.
THEE, n. Also thie(e), theegh, theigh (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); thei (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); and I.Sc. forms tee (Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 57; Sh. 1972), ti (Sh. 1951 New Shetlander No. 27. 34). [θi:, s.Sc. θəi; Sh. ti:]
1. The thigh (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., tee; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Sh. and m.Sc. 1972). Hence short-thee'd, having short thighs; thee-bane, thigh-bone (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 24).Sc. 1724 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 83:
A Braid-sword schogled at his Thie.Sc. a.1730 A. Pennecuik Poems (1787) 12:
I've dung my thee bane out of lith.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck viii.:
He had red cheeks and grit thees.Ags. 1823 A. Balfour Foundling I. ii.:
His thie bane's broken.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 180:
A lang-backed, short-thee'd, hap-and-stap-jump o' a bouncin body.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 443:
His theeghs an hurdies wus punsh't tae a jelly.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 324:
I hae the rumateese i' me thiee.Sc. 1920 D. Rorie Auld Doctor 22:
Ay! mony a bane he snappit in At elbuck, thee, an' shouther.
2. A leg of smoked and dried meat, esp. mutton (Sh. 1972).Sh. 1914 Old-Lore Misc. VII. ii. 74:
“Tees” of mutton, “pensch” puddings, geese and “baunds o' piltacks”.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 56. 25:
Da tee o reest an da dried pilltocks oot ida ruif.
