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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COME, Cum, Cam, v.

I. Forms.

1. Pr.t. and inf.

(1) Indic. and interrog.: come, cum, cam. Neg. comena.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate (1822) vii.:
And what for comena ye in? The door's on the latch.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 127:
When the snaw is cumin doon the lum, or the speat's roarin amang the mirk mountains.Sc. 1983 John McDonald in Joy Hendry Chapman 37 46:
Here,
at the crossgates o Aprile,
and eternity it cam owre'm as a splairge
o licht cams owre the watter. ne.Sc. 1991 Ken Morrice in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 60:
Dr. Watt spiered at you to call, did he?
Weel, jist you cam awa ben.

(2) Contracted imperatives: (a) c'way, quae, quay, c'wa, co' wa', come along; Jam.² gives also the forms cwaw and qua and Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923) gives cwae and co'way; (b) come'ere [kə′mi:r], come here (Abd.²² 1937); also emphatic come'ere here (Abd.¹⁶ 1936); (e) cwup, come (away) up (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).(a) Ork.(D) 1880 Dennison Orcad. Sk. Bk. 29:
“Co' thee wa' in, boy,” says the geudwife, “an thu's get the best i' the hoose.” [This phs. shows contamination from II. 10. (13).]Ags. 1912 A. Reid Forfar Worthies i.:
C'wa te station wi's, an' a'll gi'e ye a bung.Ayr. 1900 “G. Douglas” House with Green Shutters (1901) xxi.:
C'way in, man, and have a dish o' tea wi' me!Rxb. 1825 Jam.²:
Quay, woman, what needs ye stand haverin' there a' day?Rxb. 1873 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 202/1:
Now, quae in, an' a'll gie as a promised.(b) Bnff.² 1937:
Come'ere here, ye little nickum; I'se sort ye for throwin' steens at the dyooks.

(3) Pres.p. also coman.Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie in Neil R. MacCallum Lallans 51 (1998) 5:
"Weel," said the Auld Man, "if thoo're coman wae me thoo'll mind I didno speir thee, for many a time een that geungs aff wioot an errand comes heem wae een, an if thoo comes at a misanter, thoo his cheust theesel tae bleem."

2. Pa.t.

(1) Strong pa.t.: cam, cum, come, cemm.Sc. 1923 Sc. Univ. Verses 1918–1923 19:
Till the mist cam' doon an' the Ben was hid.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 19:
Cam ye fae some idder warl,
Mysterious, oonchancy cat,
A speerit-craiter athoot faat,
To me, a feel, roch human carl? Dundee 1989 W. N. Herbert in Joy Hendry Chapman 55-6 92:
An whan thi sun cemm up
an Dundee cam alist in clementines
an neuralgia wiz bestowit oan me. m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 50:
But no the face. Twesna the man I kent,
weel loed bi bairns an dugs, an auld yins tae.
Ma tears cam no for this but the mindit man. m.Sc. 1998 Lillias Forbes Turning a Fresh Eye 6:
'Twas Esk or Teviot keltered doon
I mind nae mair -
But the same sang cam' soughin tae oor lugs
An' thunnered there! em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 112:
'That's where we cam fae this mornin, Andra. Oot o sicht awa yonder.'Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 81–82:
My certy! And me leant quite naitral-like on a chair . . . and the back of it come away in my hand.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick ii.:
He kent fine he wad be nervish whan it cam to the bit.wm.Sc. 1995 Alan Warner Morvern Callar 63:
Coll says, See me the other night. I come in the house full as a whelk and hung my overcoat on the post at the banister-bottom with my cap on the top. Uls. c.1920 J. Wier in J. Logan Ulster in the X-Rays (2nd ed.) vii.:
In the en' I cum tae sad grief an' sair confusion.

(2) Weak pa.t.: comed (Slg.³ 1937).Peb. 1910 (per Ayr.¹):
He comed yesterday.

3. Pa.p.

(1) Strong pa.p.: cum, cam', comen, †cumen (s.Sc. 1873 J. Murray D.S.C.S. 204).Sc. 1874 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 180:
The Hieland rabiator's cum — we're a' ruint and ravisht.Cai. 1928 Caithness Forum in John o' Groat Jnl. (17 Feb.):
Didna Walter R. T. Budge tell Kirsty 'at her new goon suited her complexion doon til 'e grun', but quately, 'tween ye an' me, if she hed comen six inches nearer 'e grun' A wid thocht mair o' her.Mry. 1987:
Ee hed comin a that wey.Lnk. 1887 A. Wardrop Mid Cauther Fair, etc. 240:
I hae jist cam' oot the nicht to meet you.

(2) Weak pa.p.: comed, cum'd. Common in O.Sc. after 1550 (D.O.S.T.). Ppl.adj. com'd.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 26:
"An' yet thoo're comed all the wey fae Austrellia tae mak' a peur old man pey back a misserable hunder an' fifty pound that I got a len o' forty 'ear ago."Mry. 1830 T. D. Lauder Moray Floods ix.:
The dead sleep had cum'd on me.Per. 1802 S. Kerr Poems, etc. 91:
It's true, that wi' the last com'd frost I've gotten e'en a gay sair host.Hdg. 1701 Records Sc. Cloth Manuf. (S.H.S. 1905) 254:
For makeing up the 200 bushells which are comed to Leith.

II. Sc. usages.

1. Of anything injured or damaged: to recover, return to former condition (Bnff.² 1937).Ant. 1892 Ballymena Obs. (E.D.D.):
Of shoes for instance that have been partially injured by fire: Grease them an' let them stan' a while an' they'll come.

2. “Stretch, expand, yield; . . . like a cord under tension, metals under heat, etc.” (Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶, cum; Bnff.², Slg.³ 1937). Cf. Eng. use of come in archery: to curve when drawn (of a bow) (Webster).

†3. “To make advancement in the knowledge of any science, art, or piece of work” (Sc. 1808 Jam., cum).

4. To become, grow.Sh.(D) 1891 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 66:
It's comin laet, An aa da baess, an lambs, du'll kno I hae ta maet.

5. Impers.: used of times of the day (Bnff.², Abd.²², Ags.¹ 1937).Ags. 1905 Arbroath Guide (11 March) 3/7:
No a pike o' dinner was even made till it cam four o'clock.

6. Present tense used with a future date = “when . . . comes,” equivalent to a subj. (cf. similar use in Fr.). This use is regarded as arch. or dial. in Eng. Known to Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Slg.³, Arg.¹ 1937.Ags. 1891 (2nd ed.) J. M. Barrie Little Minister iv.:
“He hasna cursed me,” Micah added proudly, “for an aught days come Sabbath.”Kcb. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister vi.:
He has been a long time as a probationer . . . but . . . he is to be ordained to the pastoral charge of Dowiedens a fortnight come Friday.

Phrases: (1) come the time, on (some) one's next birthday, on the anniversary (of any event) (Bnff.², Abd.²², Ags.¹ 1937); (2) come time, by and by; occasionally with past indic.: cam' time.(1) Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxvii.:
Ye ken, your name'll be in'o the neist tack o' Clinkstyle; and that's only four year come the time.Ags. 1826 A. Balfour Highland Mary I. i.:
He's only five come the time.wm.Sc. [1835–37] Laird of Logan (1868) 28:
Ye min' our son Jock, that listed in the twa-and-forty, seventeen years come the time.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems and Songs 18:
Nae won'er o't! I'm just noo at my prime, I'm just now five and threty come the time!(2) Cai. 1930 “Carolus” in John o' Groat Jnl. (21 Feb.):
Cam' time, 'e last stoot asticle [astragal] hed gless.L.Bnff. 1932 J. M. Caie in Abd. Univ. Review (July) 208:
I Girnin' sair at first, come time they're kin' o' ees't wi't.

7. Ppl.adj. in phrases: (1) ance cum our, inexperienced; (2) cumd in, trained; cf. II. 10. (7) (d); (3) nae a' thegither come, no a' come, not quite sane, feeble-minded.(1) Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 34:
He's in a go aboot that; he's bit ance cum our, an' he'll tack things aisier or lang geh by.(2) Per. 1915 J. Wilson L. Strathearn 99:
Hee'z fell weel cumd in noo. He's thoroughly well trained now.(3) Abd.(D) 1903 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 81:
It's her that's deen a' the courtin' for young Parkie, for . . . he's nae near a' thegither come.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 30:
She wisna aa come, said some. At's as may be.Ags.⁹ 1927:
“That bairn's no a' come” (i.e. That child is weak-minded).

8. Tr. uses.

(1) To equal, match (Abd.²², Lnk.³ 1937).Rxb.(D) 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 10:
Come that, if ee can!

(2) To reach. Given in N.E.D. as dial. Cf. II. 9. (3) (b) below.w.Lth. 1882 J. Allan in Edwards (ed.) Mod. Sc. Poets (Series 4) 137:
Step by step we climb the hill Nearer to the summit, Pressing onward, upward still Else we'll never come it.

9. In combination with preps. or prepositional phrases: (1) come above, to get over, recover from; used only by Barrie; (2) come aifter, to court, seek in marriage (Bnff.², Abd.²² 1937); (3) come at, (a) to befall (of a misfortune); to affect, distress (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹ 1937); gen. as ppl.adj.; (b) “to come near, to come to” (Sc. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.; Abd.²² 1937); obs. in Eng.; (c) to reach, make (a point in argument); (4) come (a blow) athort, to strike across (Ags.¹ 1937); (5) come back on (a person), of food: to repeat (Bnff.², Ags.¹, Lnk.³ 1937); (6) come doun with, to humble (one's spirit) (Abd.²², Lnk.³ 1937); (7) come forrit, to make progress (Bnff.², Lnk.³ 1937); (8) come into the fire, “to draw near the fire” (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 24; Abd.²², Fif.¹ 1937); (9) come o', to become of, happen to (someone) (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Fif.¹, Lnk.³ 1937); (10) come (cum) on ahin, (a) “become security [for]” (Sc. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.); (b) “to retaliate” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 34, cum — — ); to get the better of an opponent; (11) come (a blow) out ower, to strike (Bnff.⁴ 1912; Bnff.² 1937); (12) come (cum) o(v)er, — owre, — ower, (a) to befall, happen to; Gen.Sc.; phr. a come-owre-me, a happening to one, an experience; (b) to repeat (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Fif.¹ 1937), to make mention of, say in the course of speaking (Cai., Abd., Per. 1975); †(c) to cajole, “get round” (someone); to get the better of (someone); (d) to strike (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Lnk.³ 1937); (e) to suffer, tolerate, ignore, overlook; (13) cum tee te, — tee wee, to overtake (Bnff.² 1937); (14) come through (an illness), to recover (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Lnk.³ 1937); (15) come til a time o day, to come to a pretty pass; (16) come to (ta, till) oneself (itsell), “to perish, die, become useless” (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); (17) come to the door, of a knock: to sound on the door (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹ 1937); (18) come up one's back, see Back, n.¹, 5 (18).(1) Ags. 1891 (2nd ed.) J. M. Barrie Little Minister xvii.:
He had given her such a talking to as she could never come above.(2) ne.Sc. 1883–86 D. Grant Chrons. of Keckleton (1888) 30:
I had reason to believe he wis comin' aifter Mary Davidson, an' I likit neither him nor his faither.(3) (a) Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
What's come at de coo?Abd. 1930 Nan Shepherd The Weatherhouse (1988) 200:
'Come away in. Mother's so dowie. I never saw her so come-at.'(c) Fif.¹ 1937:
The point I want to come at is . . .(4) Bnff.² 1943:
Leezie loupit up an' cam' athort his mou' wi' the dish cloot.(5) Abd. 1932 D. Campbell Bamboozled 9:
I dinna like kippers; they aye come back on me.Gsw. 1934 D. Allan Hunger March 93:
Is the toast comin' back on you? Would you like a tick o' baking-soda?(6) Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xi.:
He came doun with his proud spirit, and fairly asked auld Hutcheon to sit in his room with him for an hour.(7) Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 198:
And it was efter Tit . . . got the better of the wheezles that the Baby cam' forrit.(9) Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
What kam o dee destreen efter as du was gotten di head klippet?Ags. 1822 A. Balfour Farmers' Three Daughters III. 217:
What'll come o' the poor thing? I'm wae for her.(10) (b) Bnff.² 1941:
Ye're crawin' gey croose eynoo' bit I'll maybe come on ahin' ye yet.(11) Rnf. 1825 Jam.²:
I cam a straik out ower his shouthers.(12) (a) Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
I was ay telling ye, that some mischanter wad cum o'er ye.Bnff.¹² 1930:
There's naething comin' owre him = no harm is befalling him.Abd. 1991 Aberdeen Evening Express 2 Apr :
So Muggie'll be daein' a'richt . Aye, there's naething comin' ower Muggie. Or ony o' the ither aul' prime ministers that are still in the land o' the livin'.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick vi.:
What'll come ower your ain maister, up here at Cauldshiel, aince his tack's oot?Gall. 1929 Bauldy at the Toll Bar Shop in Gallov. Annual 82:
“Ay, Davie,” said Mrs Skimming, “what's come ower ye the day? Ye ha'e some o' yer aul' spunk aboot ye.”Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan III. ii.:
I can't credit these queer come-owre-me's. I have seen the wind rise when I whistled on't.(b) Abd. 1868 W. Shelley Wayside Flowers 85:
Nae neebor loons come ower my name At gloamin' when the craws drive hame.Dmb. 1931 A. J. Cronin Hatter's Castle iii. i.:
I daresay they listen to what the backbitin' scum o' their elders might be sayin', but if they come over a thing to ye, just let me know.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 58:
I micht flee awa wi' you for comin' owre to me ill words like thae!s.Sc. 1858 Wilson's Tales of the Borders XIII. 172:
But do not, Jeanie Sanderson, Come owre your death to me.Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
Now don't come over that.(c) Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate (1822) iv.:
Old Jasper Yellowley . . . had been come over by a certain noble Scottish Earl, who . . . had persuaded him to accept of a farm in the Mearns.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick v.:
I kent it was nae üse tryin to come ower An'ra Wabster wi' fair words or flytin.(d) ne.Sc. a.1835 J. Grant Tales of the Glens (1836) 68:
Mains cam' owre the rumple o'm wi' the cou'ter sic a vengeance, as gart him play heels owre head.Edb. 1870 J. Lauder Warblings 41:
How light and lively I could jump That day the herd cam' ower my rump.(e) Sc. 1703 R. Wodrow Early Letters (S.H.S.) 272:
I love uniformity soe much as to come over much for it. Sc. 1729 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) IV. 40:
They begged I might come over the want of this peice of form.(13) Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 34:
A'll awa: ye'll seen cum tee wee mi.Abd.¹⁵ 1925:
He cam tee te me oot the gate there.(14) Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish i.:
The poor lassie was very ill — nobody thought she could come through.(15) Sh.(D) 1924 T. Manson Humours Peat Comm. III. 190:
Dat I sood stand here dis day an see Jerry Laurenson gallivantin an howldin up his great big ugly head among da gentry. . . . No, no; its come til a time o day.(16) Sh. 1900 Shet. News (19 May):
I wrate him . . . ta send me . . . a tushker [spade]. I faer dis ane 'ill come ta himsel' [itself] afore A'm oot o' dis twarter dirt, an' dan A'll be at a stand.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928 s.v. kum:
De line is come till itsell, the line is broken.(17) Ayr. 1786 Burns Cotter's Sat. Night vii.:
But hark! a rap comes gently to the door.

10. In combination with advs. or adv. phrs.: (1) come about (again), (a) “to recover from an illness” (Sc. 1825 Jam.²); also “to recover” in gen.; (b) to become reconciled; (2) come again, to recover consciousness; see also II. 11. (1); (3) come awa(y), c'wa, (a) of seed or plants: to germinate, grow rapidly (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Slg.³ 1937); (b) come along; gen. imper. (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Fif.¹ 1937), often as a call of encouragement; (4) come back an' fore, to visit regularly (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Slg.³ 1937); †(5) come by, to come off, emerge from an encounter; (6) come doon (down), (a) to decline in health (Bnff.² 1937); (b) “of a river: to be in flood” (Bnff.² 1912; Fif.¹ 1937); (c) “to become bankrupt” (Bnff.² 1912); (7) come in, †(a) “to be deficient, to fall short” (Sc. 1825 Jam.²); (b) to shrink (Ib.; Cai. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.); (c) to collapse (Fif.¹⁰, Fif.¹³ 1941); (d) with o' that: to restrain oneself, become less exuberant; (8) come in about, also come in aboot, to come into a particular space or area, e.g. a traveller's encampment, or a farm; (9) come in by(e), “to come in, draw near” (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 24, — by; Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Arg.¹ 1937); (10) come inowre, “to come towards the speaker” (Lnk.³ 1937); (11) come on, c'moan, moan, mon, to come along, gen. imper. (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Fif.¹ 1937); with inf. with to, to be about to (I., ne. Sc., Ags., Per. 1975); phr. come on a walk, come for a walk; (12) come on ahin, †(a) “to retaliate” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 34); (b) “to interfere unfairly, or secretly as in bargaining” (Sc. 1905 E.D.D. Suppt.; Abd.²² 1937); (13) come one's ways (weys, waas, wa's), come ye(r) wis, (a) to come along; gen. imper. and expressing kindly invitation (Sh.³ 1942, — yer wis); (ways orig. an adverbial gen.); now dial. in Eng.; Gen.Sc.; (b) to walk, run about (Bnff.² 1937); (14) come (cum) oot (out), (a) to study (lit. to graduate from a university) (Abd.¹⁹, Slg.³, Lnk.³ 1937), Gen.Sc.; (b) “to widen, expand, dilate” (Sc. 1825 Jam.², cum out; Bnff.² 1912); (15) come oot ower, to come toward the speaker (Bnff.⁴ 1912); (16) come (cum) tee, — ti, — to(o), (a) to regain composure after a time of mental stress (Sc. 1825 Jam.²; Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Fif.¹, Slg.³ 1937; Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 10, — ti); (b) to become reconciled; to comply (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Slg.³ 1937); (c) to come near (Bnff.², Abd.²² 1937); (d) to grow up (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹ 1937); “to be advanced from any station to another that is higher” (Sc. 1808 Jam., cum — ).(1) (a) Sc. 1814 Scott Familiar Letters (1894) I. x.:
They [the trees] had suffered much by the extreme drought of the season, but came about a good deal in November.(b) Sc. 1825 Scott Journal (1890) I. 62:
After a cessation of friendship for some years, we have now come about again.(2) Cld. 1818 Pop. Superstitions of Clydesdale in Edin. Mag. (Dec.) 503:
My dochter was lang awa [in a swoon], but whan she cam again, she tauld us . . .(3) (a) Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick iv.:
We're gey thrang singlin neeps; they're comin awa on us juist fast eneuch in this growin wather.(b) Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel iv.:
Come away with your questions, Master George.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 52:
"Cairry thee. My mighty, Cheanick, I dinno ken if I kin manage that. Hooiver a'll trey id. Come awey." He assisted her to her feet and swung her up into his arms. ne.Sc. 1991 Ken Morrice in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 60:
Dr. Watt spiered at you to call, did he?
Weel, jist you cam awa ben. Ags. 1896 J. M. Barrie Sentimental Tommy viii.:
“Come away, Elspeth,” he said coaxingly.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 64:
the bairns that gied ye sic pains
werena born tae dee sae eithly. C'wa
an' dance wi us or nicht's hyne-awa!m.Sc. 1954 J. D. Scott The End of an Old Song (1990) 62:
' ... He was telephoning you earlier, and he's fairly been wearying for you to come. Come away in now.' She beamed at me.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 145:
'Jean, Jean, come awa noo!' The voice was soft, but mocking.Edb. 1992:
Come away ya big cairt hoarse!Gsw. 1915 Ian Hay The First Hundred Thousand (1985) 5:
"Come away now, come away!" urges the instructor, mopping his brow. Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 57:
Come away, Scotland! Try not to lose again, Scotland! Gsw. 1988 George MacDonald Fraser The Sheikh and the Dustbin (1989) 176:
"Come away ra wee boys!"(4) Abd. 1935 M. C. Wilson Souter's Sujaistions 15:
A cousin o' his eest t' come back an' fore. In fac' it wis him that sell't Maggie her shooin' machine.(5) Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter x.:
If ye expect to be ranting amang the queans o' lasses where ye are gaun, ye will come by the waur; . . . for the fishers are wild chaps, and will bide nae taunts.(6) (a) Abd.(D) 1916 G. Abel Wylins fae my Wallet 19:
The mistress, tee, has sair come doon; The mony jots 'boot hoose an' toon Are nae for ane wi' sic a croon O' fitened thack.(b) Ayr. 1786 Burns Winter i.:
While, tumbling brown, the Burn comes down.(c) Mry.² c.1880:
It wizna his faut 'at he hed t' come doon.(7) (c) Fif. 1938 St Andrews Cit. (26 Nov.) 12/4:
I had just got the last one [of the horses in a blazing stable] out when the whole roof came in behind me.(d) Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
Gi'e him time, he'll come in o' that.Lnk.³ 1937:
“He'll come in o' that an' ca' peats,” i.e. he'll come off his high horse.(8) ne.Sc. 1958 Jessie Kesson The White Bird Passes (1987) 71:
"Come in about to the table now."ne.Sc. 1992 Sheila Douglas ed. The Sang's the Thing: Voices from Lowland Scotland 243:
It wis a kind o' haufway hoose, haufway between Elgin and Miltonduff, where I belonged tae, an aa the Miltonduff boys came in aboot, ye see, intae the wee hoose. We'd some great ceilidhs there! Ma brothers aa sing, Bob and Alan and Gordon. They're aa musical. Abd. 1987 Alexander Fenton Wirds an' Wark 6:
At busy seasons, help was got from quarterers, some of whom came regularly for years. They were people with no fixed home, who took up their quarters in byre or stable for the period of work, or for a passing visit, before moving on. ... 24 July 'John Reid our old harvester came in about tonight.'Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 41:
He wint back tae the camp and wis lying doon resting and daeing naebody ony hairm, whin two burly policemen came in aboot.Per. 1979 Betsy Whyte The Yellow on the Broom 108:
Just like that Katie came in-about with the two bairns. [glossary definition: a traveller expression which cannot be translated by 'come in' because you do not come in to an encampment as you come in to a house. You come within the general area of tents, fire, parked carts and tethered ponies. You come in-aboot from any direction and may move about greeting people at their various occupations in different parts of the encampment.](9) Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxiv.:
Ay, troth is he, . . . as ye sall hear . . . if ye will come in bye to our house.(10) Abd.¹⁹ 1937:
Tak aff yir beets an' come inowre ti the fireside an' warm yir feet.(11) Sc. 1897 S. Tytler Lady Jean's Daughter 228:
I was just coming on to say that I thocht I would like to be the first to wish you joy.Abd.(D) 1894 G. Greig Mains's Wooin' (1909) 13:
Man, I say, come on wi' me to the Fair, and we can gae roon by Knowie's comin' hame. Abd. 1985 Robbie Kydd in Alexander Scott New Writing Scotland 3 51:
'Hey, Andy, c'moan in,' shouted a hoarse voice. m.Sc. 1994 Mary McCabe Everwinding Times 97:
"Moan, hen. Ah'll walk ye hame."Edb. 1991 Irvine Welsh in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 9: Scream If You Want to Go Faster 148:
'Moan in,' he tersely shrugs and I dutifully follow him. wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 3:
C'moan, Flipote, afore Ah get masel inty a state. Rnf. 1935 L. Kerr Woman of Glenshiels iii.:
"Ach dinna be daft, Meg," Mary said sharply. "Come on a walk." Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 46:
moan A local form of come on, shortened from c'moan: 'Moan you, get a move oan!' Gsw. 1985 James Kelman A Chancer 156:
Naw, he said, hey! Hey Vi - mon we'll go to the cafe across the road!(13) (a) Sc. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 237–238:
Come your ways down again directly, and I'll tell them to be dishing the dinner.Sh.(D) 1919 T. Manson Humours Peat Comm. II. 101:
Dat ye sall, my jewel. Com ye wis. Ye sall hae dat wi my blissin.Mearns 1903 W. MacGillivray Auld Drainie and Brownie iii.:
But come yer waas, an' get yer bite an' sup.Rxb. 1920 Kelso Chron. (17 Dec.) 6/2:
“Irr ye in, Tibbie?” “Oo, ay, come yere weys ben.”(b) Ags. 1872 J. Kennedy Jock Craufurt 17:
As sune as he could come his wa's To herd the kye or fleg the craws.(14) (a) Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden viii.:
He was comin' oot to be a minister.Per. 1910 W. Blair Kildermoch 102:
To qualify for the college, so as in the end to come out for the poopit.(15) Bnff.² 1941:
The maister cried t' me t' come oot ower, an' syne he gae me sax gweed smacks wi' the tag.(16) (a) Bch. 1912–19 Buchan Proverbs in Rymour Club Misc. II. 183:
Ca' cannie, man, and she'll come tee wi' clappin'.(b) Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
When there is reason to suppose that he will at length comply, it is said “He'll come to yet.”Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 183:
The tither Aurther, lang wi' love oppress'd, Wha owns his lassie has come too at last.(c) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 59:
That gate she hads, an' as she weer in by Amo' the trees, a lass she do's espie; . . . Hegh hey, she says, as soon as she came too.(d) Sc. 1693 ? R. Calder Sc. Presb. Eloquence (1718) 93:
After that David was made a King, he that was keeping Sheep before; in truth he came very well to.Mry.(D) 1824 J. Cock Hamespun Lays 120:
Nae sporting ca'r upo' the lee, Nae rising stock that's comin' tee.Abd.⁹ 1926:
Auld Jock an' young Jock An' Jockie comin' tee, There winna be a gweed Jock Till aul' Jock dee.

11. Other combs. and phrases: (1) come again, -agen, cum-agehn, (a) a scolding, reproof (Bnff.² 1937); “a severe beating” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 34, cum-agehn); (b) a kiss at the close of a dance (Bnff.² 1937); (c) “a drink given by the landlord to customers after so many have been paid for” (Mry. after 1750 Pluscarden MS.); given in E.D.D. for Der.; (2) come-against, adj., “repulsive” (Ork. 1887 Jam.⁶); (3) come-an'-be-kiss'd, the wild pansy, Viola tricolor; (4) come and gang a wee, “relinquish some of your demands in order to come to an agreement” (Edb. [1843] J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet (1874) Gl.; Abd.²², Slg.³, Lnk.³ 1937); (5) come back, a rebuke, reproof; (6) come far ma love lies bleedin', love-lies-bleeding, Amaranthus caudatus (Bnff.² 1937); (7) come guid, cum gude for, to be surety for; fig. to back up (Id., Slg.³ 1937); (8) come hame, to be born (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹ 1937); (9) come-here, “a cast in the eye” (n.Ir. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.); (10) come-keik, “a novelty” (Ork. 1887 Jam.⁶); †(11) cum-out-awa, “a swindler” (Upper Clydesd. 1825 Jam.²); (12) come-o'-will (wull), come-wull, (a) “an herb, shrub, or tree, that springs up spontaneously, not having been planted” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.²; 1923 Watson W.-B., come-wull); (b) “any animal that comes of its own accord into one's possession” (Ib.); (c) a newcomer to a district; (d) an illegitimate child (Abd.²² 1937); (e) also used attrib; (13) come paddy owre, to get round (someone) (Ags.¹, Lnk.³ 1937); (14) ¶come room, a reception room; (15) come (cum) speed, (a) lit.: to make progress, get on quickly (Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹, Lnk.³ 1937); (b) “to thrive, prosper” (Fif.¹, Slg.³ 1937); †(16) come thrift, = (15) (b); †(17) come-to-pass, an event; a reality (apparently only used by Galt); (18) come-up, a nouveau-riche, upstart (Abd.²² 1937); (19) to come in (a person's) will, see Will.(1) (a) Abd.(D) a.1914 W. Robbie Mains of Yonderton (1929) 102:
I'se assure ye that's a bessie can gie fowk their come again to some purpose fan her birse is fairly up.(b) Ags. 1846 A. Laing Wayside Flowers (1857) 113:
Hey! the kindly come-agen, Hey! the jamphin' an' the jokin'.(3) Abd. [1851] W. Anderson Rhymes, etc. (1867) 65:
I' my grandfather's yard thyme an' marigolds grew . . . Big cossblades an' lillies, an' come-an'-bekiss'd.(5) Sh. 1879 Shetland Times (10 May):
I'm no foryat da come back ye gae me i' da obdor.(6) Abd. 1909 R. J. MacLennan In Yon Toon 19:
I'm sure gin I had a gairden I'd grow mint, . . . and Come far ma love lies bleedin'.(7) Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
I'll cum gude for him.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake, etc. 200:
An' weel the world's tinsel shows his halesome muse withstuid; For Scotland an' her thistle-flower he aye cam' guid.(8) Fif. 1920 D. Rorie Auld Doctor 31:
I bude to gang in-bye an' swallow a gill, That nicht that the bairnie cam' hame.Edb. 1856 J. Ballantine Poems 117:
Whan our callant cam hame, to the kirk wi't cam she.(12) (a) Borders 1909 Colville 189:
The Cumberland euphemism for an illegitimate, “cum by chance,” the Borderer applies, as “come o' wills,” to potatoes left in the field and growing up in the following year.(b) Lth. 1882 “J. Strathesk” Bits from Blinkbonny vii.:
There's a brood o' chickens . . . come to me that I never set; . . . they're come-o'-wills.(c) Sc. 1823 Blackwood's Mag. (March) 314:
The Tweedies . . . were lairds o' Drumelyier, . . . and hae some o' the best blood o' the land in their veins, and sae also were the Murrays; but the maist part o' the rest are upstarts and come-o'-wills.(d) Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. (1817) iii.:
Little curly Godfrey — that's the eldest, the come o' will, as I may say.Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chron. (11 Jan.) 3/3:
“Ye nasty, gude-for-naething come-o'-wull,” she exclaimed.(e)Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage (1892) 135:
Were the come-o'-will gifts o' the heart E'er reckon'd wi' gear that is sauld.(13) Edb. 1882 (3rd ed.) J. Smith Canty Jock, etc. 61:
Ye think ye'll come paddy owre me and do as you like.(14)Sc. 1822 A. Sutherland Cospatrick I. ix.:
A large uncomfortable apartment, the heterogeneous furniture of which proclaimed it at once the come-room and kitchen of the mansion. (15) (a) ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore of N.-E. Scot. 161:
The young men were invited to sit down, and partake of the New Year's hospitality. The invitation was refused with the words, “Na, na, sittin beggars cumna speed.”Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick vi.:
You try feedin the injine o' your threshin-mill up here wi' peat, an' see what speed ye come.Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
Are ye comin' much speed wi' the job?(16) Rnf. 1861 J. Barr Poems 131:
I never kent a drunken man That e'er cam muckle thrift.(17) Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail III. vii.:
And a blithe thing, Dirdumwhamle, that would hae been to you and your wife, could we hae wrought it into a come-to-pass.Ayr. a.1839 Galt Howdie and Other Tales (1923) 19:
Some time after this exploit another come-to-pass happened that had a different effect on the nerves of us all.(18) Mearns 1932 “L. G. Gibbon” Sunset Song 144:
There were fell poor folk in Stonehaven as well as the come-ups.