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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GAM, n., adj., v. Also †gamb. ‡I. n. Gen. in pl.

1. A tooth, esp. a large and squint tooth (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Mry. 1813 W. Leslie Agric. Mry. 456; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., obsol.; Ork.¹ 1944). Also used attrib. with teeth (Mry., Abd. 1953), hence gam-teetht (Gregor).Ags. 1808 Jam.:
The word is still common in Angus. It seems especially to denote a large tooth. Thus they say, greit gams, large teeth; sometimes, gams o' teeth.Slk. 1832 Hogg Queer Book 36:
Now I [a crow], to feed my lordly gambs, Must daily warstle with the wind.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 58:
She's a bonnie lassie; but hir gam teeth spile hir some.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Guid gams for chowin' cheese.

2. Hence, phs. through association with gum, the mouth, lips, jaw (Ork. 1900 E.D.D., 1929 Marw., gams; Bnff.⁷ 1927), the gum(s) (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems, Gl., gams, 1818 Sawers; Bnff. 1927).Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie i.:
Wi' a black bushy beard, and a liquory gam, O! wha wad be kittled by bauld Braxy Tam!

Hence gamsy, adj., long-jawed, with projecting lower jaw (Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork.⁵ 1954).

II. adj. Of the teeth: crooked, out of line, overlapping.Abd. 1954 Huntly Express (5 March):
A bull from the herd over which he is in charge was turned down because some of this animal's teeth were a sixteenth of an inch “gam”.

†III. v. 1. tr. To cause the teeth to become gam.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 58:
“Gehn ye dinna keep yer tung oot o' the holes o' the aul' teeth, ye'll gam the new anes” — a piece of advise [sic] given by mothers to their bairns when losing their milk-teeth.

2. intr. “To grow twisted and overlapping (of the teeth)” (Ib.). Ppl.adj. gammt (ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 48).