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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GYPE, v., n., adj. Also gipe, †gyp, geyp, guip(e). [gəip]

I. v. 1. To stare in a foolish, open-mouthed fashion (ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1955).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 72:
Notice yir feet, an' nae gang gypin' aboot that wye.

2. intr. To play the fool (Abd.²⁷ 1956); tr. to make a fool of (someone) (Sh., ‡Abd., Ags. 1955). Ppl.adj. gypit (Bnff. 1927).Abd. 1852 A. Robb Poems 38:
For I see nae reason why we Su'dna gype whiles as weel as anither. Whare's the harm, then, in mimicking life, An' makin' a bit o' a show-like. Auld Socrates, too, was sair gypit, Wi' a wife that we hope there is few like.

3. Ppl.adj. gypit, geypet, silly, foolish, witless. Now the most common use (Sh., n.Sc., Ags., Per. 1955).Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 31:
Whiles in anger, whiles in fun, A fickle, gypit creature.ne.Sc. 1889 Jokes (Series 2) 47:
Gae waa, ye guipet fool.Abd. 1904 W. Farquhar Fyvie Lintie 38:
There gypet Jock, on stoitery leg, To some young lassie harkit.Kcd. 1934 “L. G. Gibbon” Grey Granite 223:
I've been the gypedest of gomerils to let on and vex you so.Bch. 1944 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 370:
But the aul' wife on the breist o' the cairt, tit-tittin' at the rynes, She sees the siller saxpences o' the gypit kitchie quines.ne.Sc. 1979 Alastair Mackie in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 64:
and smoored syne in the gypit sweel o the swaws. Abd. 1981 Christina Forbes Middleton The Dance in the Village 4:
They tell me tae stop pinin' an' look for the silver linin'
Fu' o' confidence in the gypit things they say m.Sc. 1985 William J. Rae in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 18:
Whaun he wis but an houlet, his faither and mither had gey been concernt aboot him. They tuik Ogilvy tae aa the owl-doctors in the wuid, and even in the forest hard by, and socht tae ken whit they could dae aboot their gypit bairn. ne.Sc. 1986 Peter Mowatt in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 155:
"Ye feel geypet nowt,"

Hence gypitness, foolishness (Sh., ne.Sc. 1955).Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 119:
Daft gytlin things! what gypitness is this? Rairin yir love-tales wi' a hopefu' kiss!

II. n. 1. A silly stare (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 72).

2. A foolish, awkward person, a silly ass, a lout (Ant. 1892 Ballymena Obs., guipe; Uls. 1924 North. Whig (5 Jan.); Sh., ne.Sc., Ags. 1955). Sometimes used as a term of derision; “an expression of puerile invective used at school, usually against pupils who come from another town” (Dmf. 1825 Jam., gipe).Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 95:
She wou'd upbraid him for a gyp An' tell him ne to touch her Ava that day.Mearns 1844 W. Jamie Muse 89:
They are but stupid dozened gypes.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 11:
The phrase Gordon Gypes exceedingly irritated the inhabitants of that village.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxiii.:
Mony a roun' han' did the jauds play 'im — he's a saft gype.Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 31:
The byllie's a glaikit gype an' as Hielan's a peat.Mearns 1934 “L. G. Gibbon” Grey Granite 86:
Syne the drum struck up and off you all marched, some gype had shoved the handle of a flag in your hand.Abd. 1942 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 388:
Shooting out their tongues at the girls and shouting after them: Academy gypes are awfu' puir, They sup their porridge aff the fleer.ne.Sc. 1996 W. Gordon McPherson in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of winning poems and stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 19:
"Div ye think" she said, "we cwid badder ye for a wee whilie?" She spak laich; "It's the Queen, ye see-that gype of a driver o oors tint the road-an athing else-an noo the car's broken doon on's. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 6:
Luve cud ca ye aff her stot, makkin ye as big a gype as Jock, the daftie loon frae the heid o the Clash. Abd. 2001 Herald 25 Jun 20:
But Watery said Potions' cattle looked awful tall and thin. The Farmer soon put him right. "G'way you daft gype," he said understandingly. "They just look like that from where you were - at the side and below the screen. They looked fine from the third row up in the front." Abd. 2004 Press and Journal 8 Oct 16:
Mind you, I know one feel gype who was lucky enough to get early retirement from a hectic, high-pressure job that was probably playing havoc with his heart. Abd. 2004 Press and Journal 25 Oct 12:
"Chav" ye read is linkit tae feel gypes o loons weerin chape jewellery an baseba caps clappit on their heids bit up here "Chauve" taks on a different meanin.

Hence (1) gyperie, -y, nonsense, foolishness. Also gypertie (Abd. ²⁷ 1955); ¶(2) gypical, foolish, characteristic of a fool.(1) Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 70:
Amo' the lave there's aye some kirious slung, For fun an' gyperie, an' a' rhymless tongue.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 31:
I canna oon'erstan' the young chaps o' the present day, foo little they ken an' foo little they wint to ken. A' 'at ye can get oot o' them 's a lot o' gypery.(2) Abd. 1852 A. Robb Poems 37:
Till ae night he drank himsel dead, In one of his gypical frolics.

3. An impudent person (‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).

†4. A greedy person, a glutton. Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1706 in J. Watson Choice Coll. (1869) i. 61:
Wha though they be but greedy gipes, . . . Did give me lodging chearfullie.

III. adj. 1. “Very hungry, voracious” (Slk. 1825 Jam.). Also fig.: ardent, eager (Ib.). Deriv. gypish, miserly.Abd. 1900 E.D.D.:
He'll be at the sale; he's gype for a bargain. He's a gypish fellow — he hoards ilka bawbee.

Adv. gypelye, eagerly (Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 42).

2. Stupid-looking; open-mouthed, amazed (Mry.¹ 1925).