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.
Quotation dates: 1700-1937
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VIZZY, v., n. Also viz(ze)y, viz(z)i(e), ¶vizzeh (Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 104), vissie, -y, visey, -ie, visee; veesy, -zy; reduced form veeze (Ork.). [′vɪzi, ′vi:zi, Ork. vi:z]
I. v. 1. tr. or absol. To look (at) closely, inspect, examine, scrutinise (Sc. 1825 Jam.), freq. implying cocking the eye to focus properly, to squint (at) (Sh. 1973). Vbl.n. vizzying in comb. vizzying hole, a spy-hole in a door from which one could see who was seeking admittance, a judas (Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Traditions I. 236).Sc. 1724 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 84:
vissyt him then round about.Per. 1766 A. Nicol Poems 47:
Wives . . . wi' grains and raxing 'gan to blink And vizzy a' things round.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 256:
When first your Castles I did vizzey.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce I. ix.:
As dark and how as the vizzying hole in an auld castle postern door.Sc. 1867 J. Grant White Cockade v.:
An eye was seen to vizzy them carefully.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (29 April):
He blindi'd his left e'e an' vizzied laek a joiner luikin' at da edge o' a clift.wm.Sc. 1937 W. Hutcheson Chota Chants 30:
The dustman skipped to the bothie ree And vizzied the orra-men.
2. intr. To take aim with a gun, bow or other weapon (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., vizzi, Sh. 1973). Also fig.Slk. 1817 Hogg Works (1874) 150:
He airches an' he vizies for a good while.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 457:
When vizzying first at the nail in the bull's eye of the target.Peb. 1836 J. Affleck Works 90:
The saul's the mark at which I vizzy.Rxb. a.1860 J. Younger Autobiog. (1881) 45:
Showing me how to vizie to hit a small board.Sh. 1901 Shetland News (28 Sept.):
A'll vissie as even as some o' da volunteers.
3. To study, pore over (Ork. 1929 Marw., veeze; Sh. 1973).
¶4. To vise, issue with a visa.Sc. 1868 J. Grant White Cockade v.:
Letters signed and vizzied by the conservator of Scottish privileges at Campvere.
II. n. 1. n. (1) A look, sight, glimpse, scrutiny, survey (Abd. 1925; Sh., ‡Lth. 1973). Comb. vizzie-hole, a peep-hole (see I. 1.) (Ork. 1973).Sc. 1700 J. Clark Christ's Impressions 37:
O the many sweet Visies and Communications of Christ, that Believers have gotten on their Knees.Sc. 1785 H. Mackenzie Lounger 22:
He tried to see the stage, and got a flying vizzy now and then.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xvi.:
Ye had best take a visie of him through the wicket before opening the gate.Sc. 1834 Tait's Mag. I. 429:
To take a steady fixed vizzy of any one thing.Sc. 1850 J. Grant Sc. Cavalier xxxvi.:
Take a gude survey of them through the vizzy-hole.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin viii.:
His Reverence micht get a vizzie o' me i' the bye-gaen.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxiv.:
To gar Sir Simon tak' a vizzy backar't.Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 68:
A wis wantin' ye tae tak' a vizy o' ma knockie here.s.Sc. 1898 Border Mag. (Oct.) 191:
A gizened dottle o' a man he was, yince we had a fair vizzy o' 'im.Sc. 1907 N. Munro Daft Days iii.:
I suppose God took a kind of vizzy down that night.
(2) A view, vista, prospect.Sc. 1723 W. Macfarlane Geog. Coll. (S.H.S.) I. 54:
A summer hous and ducat has a small visee to each airth.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xxxviii.:
It will maybe be sawn down next week, to gie the new-comers a veesy in that airt.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch vi.:
We could have a vizzy of the grand ancient building of George Heriot's Hospital.e.Lth. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 187:
The vizzy o' them frae the cluds.
2. (1) An aim (with a weapon), gen. in phr. to take a vizzy (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh. 1973).Sc. 1720 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 86:
The Thane of Fife, wha lately wi' his flane, And vizy leel, made the blyth bowl his ain.Gsw. 1725 Letter from the Magistrates of Glasgow, to a Gentleman in Edinburgh (30 June) 2:
The Soldier taking a Vizie, shot him dead.Per. 1801 Letters J. Ramsay (S.H.S.) 52:
Take a good tizzy [sic] and deil hae him that misses.Dmf. 1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun 52:
[He] took but ae vizzy wi' his eie — The bullet flies.Ayr. 1822 Galt Steam-boat 143:
Logan took a vizy, and fired, but his gun flashed in the pan.Rxb. 1845 T. Aird Old Bachelor 245:
Ambitions of taking a vizzy along the gun.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 98:
Takin' a veezy wi' his gun, he backit gradually to the sea.Uls. 1929 M. Mulcaghey Ballymulcaghey 19:
They always closed wan eye when they wud take a vizzy.
(2) The sight or knob on the barrel of a gun. Hence vizyless, without a sight, of a gun. Combs. vizzie-drap (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 457) (see Drap, n., 4.), vizzy-peg (Uls. 1953 Traynor), id.Sc. 1828 Blackwood's Mag. (Sept.) 288–300:
Thus too, the vizy generally inclined unduly to one side or the other. . . . Our passion could restore thee [sc. Mons Meg] butless, lockless, vizyless though thou be'st to the light of day.
