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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CUITIKIN, Cuittikin, Cootikin, Ceuttikin, Kittikin, Küttikin, Küitiken, Cut(t)ikin, n. [′køtɪkɪn, ′kɪtɪkɪn, ′kytɪkɪn]

1. Gen. in pl.: spatterdashes; cloth gaiters (Sc. 1808 Jam., cutikins; Ags.² 1941; Fif. 1912 A. F. in Scotsman (6 Jan.), kittikins; Fif.¹⁰ 1941; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Borders 1912 J. Shiels in Scotsman (3 Jan.), cuitikins; Ayr.³ 1910, cuitikins; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 141, cootikins). For ne.Sc. forms, see Queetikin .Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary (1818) xi.:
He exchanged his slippers for a pair of stout walking shoes, with cutikins, as he called them, of black cloth.Ags. 1873 Brechin Advertiser (28 Jan.) 4/4:
His antique costume consisting of a black silk hat, a scarlet coat and vest trimmed with lace, black-corded knee-breeches, white ribbed stockings, and black cloth “cutikins.”Fif. 1899 “S. Tytler” Miss Nanse i.:
It was no trouble . . . to brush into spotlessness the gaiters or “cuitikins” he had flung down.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) v.:
Maister Batter has sent down . . . a cuttikin of corduroy.

2. A stocking without a foot (Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) 150, ceuttikin); “a sock that covers the ankle only” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., küttikin); “a knitted sock which comes up over the ankles, worn by old-fashioned women” (Ork. a.1900 (per Ork.¹)).Sh.(D) 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 92:
My sea buits an' my küitikens, Just see dey're in da büddie.

3. “Ludicrously: a dirty foot and ankle” (ne.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., cuittikin).

4. “Endearing word for children” (Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 22, cuiti-kins). Cf. Breekums, 2, and Breeklums.

5. Phr.: that caps cuittikins, “that surpasses anything I have heard” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).