Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BEN, n.²

1. A mining term.Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Sc. Mining Terms 9–10:
Ben, Inwards, towards the workings; the workman's right to enter the pit, hence the term claiming his ben, i.e. going to the pit in the morning and having his right to enter the pit and have hutches in his turn acknowledged, which right he may then delegate to his boys. The day's work of a youth, indicating the proportion of a man's “darg” which he is able, or allowed to put out, is termed quarter-ben, half-ben, three-quarter-ben.

2. By extension: one's turn or station in any queue or file of waiting persons. Freq. in phrs. to cry, keep, stand one's ben, see quots. Fif. 1948:
Miners "cry their ben" as they file into the cages going up or down. As one arrives he shouts "Who's last?" and the answer comes from the one before him, "Follow me."Lnk. 1877 W. McHutchison Poems 143:
At feed or spree they'll keep their ben.Ayr. 1950:
A "place-jumper" in a queue will be rebuked for not "staunin' his ben."