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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BLOCKAN, n. Also blochan (Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XI. 13). A young coal-fish, Gadus virens. Cf. Block, n.³, and Bluchan.Ayr.⁴ 1928:
Blockan, a small coalfish.Gall. 1692 Dr Archbald in A. Symson Large Description of Gall. (1823) App. VI. 149:
Blockan, [a fish] about the bigness of a white salmond-trout.Gall. [1887] H. Maxwell Place Names of Galloway (1930) Intro.:
Blockans or pollack whiting.Wgt., Kcb. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
blockan 2. a pollack (the young of the coal-fish).Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
The fry [of the coal fish] are called gilpins, small ones pickies; the mid-sized ones blockans and glashans, and when large, grey lord and stanlock.

Comb.: blockan brain, id. (Kcb. 1845 Stat. Acc.² IV. 321).