Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

DEM, DAIM(E), v. To obstruct (water) by means of a dam (Mry.¹ 1925; Bnff.², Abd.² 1939; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Also fig. Obs. since 14th cent. in St.Eng. but still found in n.Eng. dial. Vbl.n. demmin, demmen, daimin', a small dam such as children make (Abd.⁸ c.1930; Fif.³ 1916). [dɛm, dem]Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. v.:
The gutters were in flood . . . here and there a nickum might have been seen hard at work at a “daimin'”.Bnff. 1927 E. S. Rae Hansel fae Hame 50:
For a divot tae dem he dings doon the fell dyke, Syne barefit he wydes 'neath the stoor o' the linn.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 106:
'Twill ablins help to dem the tide of ire, That burns 'mong the Sevilians like a fire.Fif. 1838 A. Bethune Sc. Peasantry 59:
Farther down the Den . . . there is a level spot called The Green, where the waters of the stream were collected in a number of small dams called demmens, for the purpose of bleaching.

Hence dem-fow, adj., quite full, full to overflowing (Fif. 1900 E.D.D.).Lth. 1825 Jam.²:
It is sometimes said that the hands are dem-fow, when one has too much work to do.

In n.phr. dem (daime) and la(i)ve, an extravagant profusion (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 36). Cf. dammin(g) and lavin(g), s.v. Dam, v.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 36:
They're weel t'dee: they've daime and laive o' a'thing.Bnff.² 1940:
Jeems is a quait stock himsel, bit his wife's an extravagant limmer; it's dem an' lave wi' her a' the time.