Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
EASY-OSY, adj., n. Also -ozy, -osey, -oasy, -osie, -ozie and easie-.
1. adj. Of persons: easy-going, inclined to be lazy; of things: involving the minimum of effort. Gen.Sc. Also fig. Also used adv.Dmb. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xxxvii.:
A dizen or twa o' saft kind o' easy-osey men.Gsw. 1868 J. Young Poems 162:
An easy-osy thrieveless [sic] coof, an' saulless as a rock — O' for a towmont's sodgerin' for my big Jock!ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 20:
What are we before thee, O King Crispin? Naething bit a parcel o' easy ozy sooter bodies, nae worth one old shoe to mend another.Ayr. 1889 H. Johnston Glenbuckie 175:
He was just ane o' thae easy-ozie kind o' men that would do anything for the sake o' peace.Slg. 1902 W. C. Paterson Echoes 118:
Ithers slip ower easie osie On life's slippy stappin' stanes.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 128:
Lat's tak the easie-osie, Saft-gangin life.wm.Sc. 1991 James Russell Grant in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 56:
It's sick ah am ae hearin easy-ozy words
The love ah suffer fae is a shamefu disease
The image that haunts ye ordains a sleepless tormentit existence Gsw. 1995 Chris Dolan Poor Angels 4:
Probably the local lads playing a joke. Cathy tried to sound easy-osy.
2. n. A person of the above character (Bwk.2 1949).Rnf. 1850 A. McGilvray Poems 170:
Twa easy-ozies, Who never look, e'en through their specks, Beyond their noses.Sc. 1874 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 592:
O Lord, what are we this mornin' but a parcel o' easy osies?Per. 1881 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Readings 17:
Ay, min! an' you took us for sappy headed goslins, did ye? Easy-osies that widna ken our front frae our rear!
