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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HING, v., n. Also haing (Arg. c.1850 in Colville (1909) 115); †hinge (Sc. 1700 Fasti Aberd. (S.C.) 438). [hɪŋ, s.Sc. hɛŋ]

I. v., tr. and intr. = Eng. hang (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis). Gen.Sc. Pa.t. hang (Sc. 1726 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 197; Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 22; Lth. 1819 J. Thomson Poems 34; Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 117; Sh., ne.Sc. 1957), hung (from Eng.), howng (Cai.); pa.p. and ppl.adj. hung (Gen.Sc.), howng (Cai.); hingit, hangit, -et (from pr. stem hang), in the sense of “judicially hanged”. Vbl.n., ppl.adj., hingin(g), hingan, -en, in all Eng. senses of hanging. The form hing persists into the early 19th c. also in contexts otherwise written in Eng.

Sc. form of Eng. hang.Sc. 1991 Forbes Macgregor in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 17:
Ay by his side there hings a bell
That ca's him frae his crampet cell,
But a' the time he's sair hame-seikSh. 1991 William J. Tait in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 45:
An, hingin laich owerhaid, da lift
Roefs in my soety haad an daursm.Sc. 1997 Liz Niven Past Presents 14:
Hingin thro the sinnons
O its hin haughs
Harrigals fleitin in watter
The swine swayed
And the bern bauks creaked.

Sc. form of Eng. hanged.m.Sc. 1993 Herald 6 Aug 14:
Turns out the original MacPhunn was taken to sheep-stealing and got himsel' hingit for it, the dastard.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 96:
'Man, thon was fierce times,' Tammas continued. 'There was mair bluid in the syvers than ye'd see on a mercat day. They werena aw hingit, of coorse. There was some puir bastarts that set oot tae walk jist frae Dumfries tae Edinburgh that niver stopped till they reached Barbados. ... '

Sc. usages:

1. intr., sometimes absol. To lean out of a window idly in order to watch what is going on in the street below. Gen.(exc. I. and s.)Sc. Cf. II. 1.Ags. 1889 Barrie Tillyloss Scandal 61:
There's a curran women as says they hung out at their windows looking at me.Edb. 1952 Robert Fergusson (S. G. Smith) 145:
In modern Scots tenements “hingin” means leaning out of the window and watching what is going on in the street below . . . “Hingan owre the windae wi my elbaes in my hands.”

2. Specif. usages, gen. in ppl.adj. hingin: (1) of coal: undercut and ready to fall, lying at a high inclination (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 34, 37; Edb.⁶ 1957); (2) of the sky: overcast, threatening rain (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Abd., Fif., Arg., Ayr., Kcb., Rxb. 1957); (3) of a golf-ball or its position: lying on a downward slope (Sc. 1880 Jam.). Gen.Sc.(3) Sc. 1857 Chambers's Information II. 695:
Hanging balls . . . are caused by a little rise of the ground close behind the ball, from whatever cause.Sc. 1911 Encycl. Sport II. 338:
A ball that lies fairly, and not cupped, on a downward slope toward the hole is known as a “hanging ball”.Sc. 1920 Bk. of School Sports 178:
Hanging Lie. — A ball on a slope downwards.

3. tr. and intr. To have the notice of one's intention to marry displayed on a registrar's notice-board, instead of by proclamation of banns in church (em.Sc., Rxb. 1957).Fif. 1909 R. Holman Char. Studies 12:
The young man pays a visit to the minister to “pit in the cries,” or to the registrar to be “hung up.”Dmf. 1952:
Dissenters are usually “hung” because they have a moral objection to being cried in the parish church.

4. intr. Fig.: to delay, dilly-dally, shirk, hover indecisively (Ags., Fif., Arg. 1957).Hdg. 1889 J. Lumsden Lays Linton 151:
To mak' a sark, or wash ane either, My faigs, she winna hang or swither.Dmf. 1957:
He's hingin, that yin! He is not working hard enough.

5. intr. To be in a poor state of health (Kcd., Per., m.Lth., Arg., Ayr. 1957). Also to be hangin at, to be out of sorts (Uls. 1910 C. C. Russell People & Lang. Uls. 43, Uls. 1957). Adj. hingin-like, hingy- (Bnff.), ill-looking (Cai., Abd., Rxb. 1957); hingin, hingie, hingy, slightly ill without definite symptoms. (hingin Ags., Gsw., Dmf., Rxb.; hingie Ork., Edb., Arg., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s). Adv. hingin-wa's, id. (s.Sc. 1876 D.S.C.S. 226). Bnff. 1872 W. Philip It 'ill a' come richt 19:
He's gyaun aboot noo hingin' an' hostin', and dwinin' awa.Per.⁴ 1950:
He's gey hingin lookin whatever's wrang wi him.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 34:
hingy Slightly unwell, out of sorts: 'What's up wi ye? Ye're lookin kinna hingy this weather.' Gsw. 1988 Michael Munro The Patter Another Blast 33:
hingin A graphic term meaning unwell, listless, feeling and looking below par: 'Ah don't known whit's the matter wi that boay a mines. He's been hinging aw week.' Edb. 1992:
I wid keep the wee yin off the school the day - he's lookin awfy hingie. Sc. 1995 Scotland on Sunday 4 Jun 2:
Expatriate Fifers are welcome to contribute to the list which so far includes "fair ferfochen" meaning tired out, "hingy" for off-colour, ... Gsw. 2003 Anne Donovan Buddha Da (2004) 294:
Want a cuppa tea when ah'm through in the kitchen? You're lookin a bit..hingy.

†6. In the game of handball: to place the ball in the goal three times (see quot.).Per. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XVIII. 88:
The object of the married men was to hang it [the ball], i.e. to put it three times into a small hole in the moor, the dool or limit on the one hand.

7. Phrs.: (1) hingin fae, of an emotion, made obvious in (a person). (Ags., Edb., Ayr. 2000s); (2) to hang as one grows, to be untidy and dishevelled, to take no trouble with one's appearance (Fif. 1957); (3) to hing by (one's) ain head, to be independent and self-supporting, to be responsible for one's own undertakings, self-reliant (Cai., Inv., Abd., m.Lth., Ayr., Kcb., Dmf. 1957), orig. from proverb lat ilka herrin hing by its ain heid (see quot.); (4) to hing in, to pursue a task with energy, persevere, hurry (I. and e.Sc., Arg., Kcb. 1957). Cf. Stick and see Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 1) II. 79; to pay court assiduously, make persistent love, to curry favour (Abd. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl., Abd. 1957); hence phr. a hing in, (i) a wooing; (ii) an ingratiating person, a parasite (Per. 1957); (5) to hang its water, of the movable valve of a mining pump: to fail to act on account of a fault or airlock when the column of water is sufficient to prevent the valve from opening (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 34); (6) to hing on, intr., where on is adv., to linger expectantly, to wait (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.). Now in Eng. but appar. orig. Sc.; tr., to delay or hinder (someone) in doing something, to keep (someone) waiting (Abd. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1957); tr., where on is prep., used pass. in phr. to be hung on, to be firmly attached to (a body or principle), to be a loyal adherent of; (7) to hing (on) a lip, to look despondent or sulky, to be on the verge of weeping. Cf. Eng. to hang the lip; (8) to hing on a (lang) face, to look glum or doleful (I.Sc., Ags. 1975); (9) to hing on a nail, of persons: to be constantly waiting upon someone else's convenience (Ags. 1957); (10) to hing one's lugs, to look dejected or abashed. Gen.Sc. Hence hingin-luggit, see 9. (11) below; (11) to hing tae, — tee, — ti, intr., to join in, adhere, attach oneself, lit. (to something) or fig. (to some person or cause), to fall in with another's plans (Cai., ne.Sc., m.Lth. 1957); (12) to hing the cat, — cleek, to work slowly or to rule, to lounge about, to hold things up (Fif., Ags. 1957). See Cleek, n.¹, 1. (7); (13) to hang the faiple, see Faiple and cf. (7); (14) to hing up, (a) of weather: to keep dry (Arg., Ayr. 1957). Cf. 2. (2); (b) tr., of money: to put to one's credit.(1) wm.Sc. 1974 Roddy McMillan The Bevellers 30:
NORRIE Ah didnae believe them anyway. ROUGER No much - it wis hingin fae ye.Edb. 1993:
Embarrassment was just hingin fae her.(3) Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 240:
Let every Herring hing by its own Head. Every Man must stand by his own Endeavour, Industry, and Interest.Dmf. 1915 J. L. Waugh Betty Grier ii.:
Bear in mind that every herrin' maun hing by its ain heid.(4) Abd. 1868 W. Shelley Wayside Flowers 93:
Hing in, my lads, our harvest's now: Wha kens the features o' to-morrow?Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. xv.:
Hing in, Tip. Ye're first.Abd. 1903 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (1 Aug.):
There had been a bit of a “hing in” between Davie Bruce and Kirsty.Abd. 1917 C. Murray Sough o' War 10:
Hing in an' haiste-ye back.Abd. 1941 C. Gavin Black Milestone vii.:
I'll need to hing in and wark the morn and get things some fordled.Ork.⁵ 1957:
Hingan in like a coo in a harrow, often applied to zeal in courting.(6) Sc. 1721 R. Wodrow Sufferings I. 142:
[To] keep them hanging on at Edinburgh for some months.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian v.:
Ye dinna ken whether ye are to get the free scule o' Dumfries or no, after hinging on and teaching it a' the simmer?wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 275:
There's an unco set of yaupish-looking devils hinging on just noo about the steward.Ags. 1883 Brechin Advertiser (24 April) 3:
Nae doot it's a meeserable life, but they're no needin to hing on wi't.Per. 1896 D. Kippen Crieff 123:
They were weel hung on the kirk.Abd. 1904 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (2 July):
It's a rale langsom' job th' hyow ony wye, an' fin they're tyeuch and winna redd oot amo' idder, 't hings fowk on s'lang.(7) Per. 1881 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Readings 13:
I've aye the soo-siller in my pouch yet, an' not a farden o't ye get if ye're to hing on a lip like that, mind ye.Ork.⁵ 1957:
Hingan a lip like a mitherless foal.(8) Rxb. 1875 N. Elliott N. Macpherson 71:
I want tae ken what's makin' ye hing on siccan a lang face. Ags. 1887 A. D. Willock Rosetty Ends 58:
Mony a chap becomes tongue-tackit an' hings on a face as cheerfu'-lookin' as the tarpaulin cover o' a carrier's cart.(10) Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 30:
I dinna hing my lugs like ane That has a riven breek.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlv.:
He was hingin' 's lugs like ony supplicant.(11) Bch. 1832 W. Scott Poems 94:
Just lat me ken whan ye appoint the time, An' I'll be ready to hing ti' wi' mine.(12) Sc. 1952 Sunday Post (27 Jan.):
The men spend the rest of the day lounging around — or, as the saying is, “hingin' the cat.”(14) (a) Arg.¹ 1932:
Ther [there are] shoars workin' roon, but it may hing up as lang as the win' keeps.(b) Rxb. 1924 Kelso Chron. (12 Sept.) 2:
You might see him trotting down to the tavern with a five-pound note fluttering between finger and thumb, and then hear him instruct the ancient douce landlady — “Hing that up, Jen, as lang's it lests.” He treated himself and everybody who entered until the money was finished.

8. Combs. in which the first element is the pr. stem: (1) hang-arse, lazy, idle, unwilling to bestir oneself; (2) hang-choice, a choice between two evils (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Also found in Eng. dials.; ¶(3) hang-craig, hang-dog, villainous, destined for the gallows; ¶(4) hang-in-chain, id.; (5) hang-net, a vertical stake-net (Dmf. 1825 Jam.; Bwk., Kcb. 1957). Also reduced dim. form hangie (Bwk. 1957); (6) hing-oot, a promiscuous woman; (7) hing-tee, (a) a mistress, paramour (n.Sc. 1951); (b) an ingratiating person, a parasite (Abd. 1957). Cf. 10. (1); (8) hing-the-gither, clannish (Inv., Per., m.Lth., wm.Sc., Rxb. 1957); (9) hing ware, a wire from which a wooden bridge or the like is suspended over a stream. See Ware. (1) Fif. 1802 C. Gray Address to Poor Weavers 6:
For fortune, that cameleon b — h, Ne'er made a hang-arse weaver rich.(2) Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxx.:
I hope Saint Patrick sung better than Blattergowl's precentor, or it would be hang-choice between the poet and psalmist.(3) Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 57:
Yon hang-craig workin' carle that wis tane, She wasna lang till she loot gae again.(4) ne.Sc. 1836 J. Grant Tales 22:
Whare's that hang-in-chain son o' yours?(5) Dmf. 1812 W. Singer Agric. Dmf. 605:
Hang-nets are larger in the mesh than any other nets, and are stretched upright between stakes of about ten feet long, placed at regular distances of about eight feet.Sc. 1873 Act 36 & 37 Vict. c.71 § 39:
No byelaw made under the authority of this section shall limit the length of a hang net.(6) Gsw. 1988 Michael Munro The Patter Another Blast 33:
hing oot ... A hing-oot is an insulting slang word for a woman of easy virtue: 'Aye, she's no bad lookin ... fur a clatty wee hing-oot.'Edb. 1994 Irvine Welsh Acid House 124:
"YA FAAHKING SLAG!...YA HORRIBLE FUCKIN HING-OOT!..."Sc. 2000 Sun 13 Jul :
Herries, hing oots, slappers and racist scum - just a few adjectives to describe the five animals who shouted anti-English abuse at a couple of friends of mine in the standing section at the Tina Turner concert last Friday night.Sc. 2000 Guardian 5 Oct 2:
"Ya plukey-faced wee hing oot" has no known English equivalent.(8) wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 212:
I ken, Andra, ye like to hae a bit side wipe at the Paisley folks, for the sort o' clannish hing-the-gither kind of feeling that's amang us.(9) s.Sc. 1933 Border Mag. (Sept.) 133:
A bairn's ploy if ye watch the hing wares.

9. Combs. containing the pr.p.: (1) hingin-broot, with beetling brows, louring; (2) hanging burn, a sheep-mark made by branding with a vertical stroke on the lower part of the cheek or chin so that the mark seems to hang outwards (Bwk., Rxb. 1957); (3) hingin-chafted, having pendulous jaws; (4) hinging chimney, — chumlie, = (12); (5) hingin(g) coal, "coal lying at a moderately high inclination" (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 37); (6) hingin' ee, see Ee, n., 2. (1); (7) hanging gate, a bar or grating hung across a stream (m.Lth., Bwk., Rxb. 1957); (8) hinging girnel, see Girnel; (9) hingen-heedit, abashed (Cai., ne.Sc. 1957), = (11) (a); (10) hinging lock, a padlock (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.). Obs. in Eng. since 1495; (11) hingin lug, (a) gen. in pl.: drooping ears, as a sign of dejection, or surliness. Hence hingin-luggit, dejected, crestfallen, abashed (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen.Sc.; also of weather: dull, overcast, gloomy (Abd. 1957). See 7. (10); (b) in phr. to hae a hingin lug at, to bear (one) a dislike, grudge or ill-will; ‡(12) hingin' lum, a wide old-fashioned wooden chimney which descended from the roof above an open fire to direct the smoke out through the chimney-hole. Gen.Sc., almost obs.; (13) hingin' mince, (a) a non-existent thing, an absurdity for which persons are sent on fool's errands (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif. 1975); (b) humorous sausages (Bnff., Abd., Edb. 2000s); (14) hingin' moot, dejected, sulky, in low spirits (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 77; ne.Sc. 1957); (15) hanging post, a wooden post supporting a roof plaeed parallel to the kingpost and meeting the queenpost where it touches the angle of the roof (Per. 1957); (16) hanging-scaffold, (a) in mining: “a movable platform in a shaft attached to the winding rope or the crane rope” (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 35); (b) in building: a scaffold on brackets hung on pins driven into a wall (Kcb.¹⁰ 1957); (17) hingin scone, a thin kind of scone (see quot.); (18) hanging sets, in mining: “logs of wood to which cribs are suspended in working through soft strata” (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 35), or in pit sinking (Edb.⁶ 1944); (19) hingin' shouthered, having sloping shoulders; (20) hingin side, of a carcase of beef: the side opposed to the lying side s.v. Lie, v., 7. (Edb. 1959); (21) hanging stair, = (22) (Fif. 1957); (22) hanging steps, steps built into a wall at one end and cantilevered (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 942); (23) hingin stitch, a shoemakers' stitch (see quot.); (24) hingin witter, a sheep-mark consisting of a slanting upward slit in the side of the ear (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1957). Cf. (2).(1) Abd. 1874 W. Scott Dowie Nicht 42:
Hingin-broot, an we a foreheid villanously low.(2) Kcb. 1880 J. H. Maxwell Sheep-Marks 7:
Two back nips on near ear; hanging burn on near cheek.(3) Peb. 1793 R. Brown Carlop Green (1817) 117:
Wi' hingin'-chafted Johnny Jow, . . . That rings Mass John's kirk-bell.(4) Ags. 1746 J. C. Jessop Education in Angus (1931) 90:
To a mid Spire Wall and two hanging Chimneys, One Pound twelve Shillings.Bnff. c.1825 in J. F. S. Gordon Chrons. Keith (1880) ix.:
A fire was set at the gable of a Dwelling; and above it, in the Roof, a Hole, or Timmer Lum, was left for ventilation and for the “reek” to escape . . . Then followed “Hinging Chumlies.”(7) Lnk. 1831 W. Patrick Plants 191:
Below the hanging gate on Barncluith burn.(9) Bnff. 1886 Folk-Lore Jnl. IV. 16:
He was proceeding to sea “raither hingen-heedit.”(10) Fif. 1706 D. Jamie Ballingry (1890) 56:
Ane iron bolt in the inside and a hinging lock.Slg. 1723 Slg. Burgh Rec. (1889) 357:
For three hinging locks to sheckle the three prisoners sentenced to dye . . . 18s.(11) (a) Ayr. 1803 A. Boswell Poet. Wks. (1871) 11:
I met four chaps yon birks amang, Wi' hingin' lugs and faces lang.Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (9 Aug.):
Kurns o' lads were lookin' gey hingin'-luggit for the neist fyow days.Abd. 1981 Christina Forbes Middleton The Dance in the Village 4:
Fin I'm feelin' hingin' luggit an' canna be humbuggit ... Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 42:
But I kent Da jist said thon tae cheer me up an I wis gey hingin-luggit last Friday fin the ither loons and quines gaed on tae the bus wi their packed lunches.(b) Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 269:
A person is said to be hinging-lugged when having an ill-will at any one, and apparently sulky. “Such a one has a hinging-lugg at me,” means that that one is not well disposed towards me.Gall. 1881 L. B. Walford Dick Netherby v.:
The puir thing is but a feckless body, an's like to hae a hinging lug at us for coming to her auld place.(12) Abd. 1906 Banffshire Jnl. (10 July):
[They] crackit roun their hingin' lums, The crouse folk noo awa'.Abd. 1956 Huntly Express (9 March):
There was always plenty of light near the fire by reason of the wide, “hingin' lum.”(13) (a) Abd.³¹ 1958:
1 sent'im on a gowk's eeran' till 'e butcher's tae buy a pun' o' hingin' mince.(14) Mry. 1872 W. H. L. Tester Poems 197:
An', hingin'-moued, for past transgressions mourned.(15) Inv. 1728 Inv. Session Rec. (Mitchell 1902) 86:
The lowest part of the breast of the said loft fronting the pulpit floaring and gests included to be no further downwards from the top of the hanging post on the side wall of the Church than ten foot and three inches.Sc. 1891 H. Stephens Bk. Farm VI. 387:
Hanging posts, in lofts over implement, gig, and tool houses, and in men's sleeping-place, to be 4 inches by 2.(17) Mry. 1956 Scotsman (10 April):
“Hingin'” Scones. This recipe is known to be well over 100 years old. One lb flour; ½ teaspoon cream of tartar; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ lb lard; 2 ozs margarine or butter; milk to mix. Rub in fats to flour. Add dry ingredients. Mix to stiff dough with milk. Roll out one-eighth inch thick in oblong piece. Bake on moderate girdle. Place towel on back rail of a chair and hang scones over.(19) Peb. 1793 R. Brown Carlop Green (1817) 129:
And crouchy Car, wi' 's humphy gett And 's hingin'-shouther'd Bess.(21) Edb. 1767 Caled. Mercury (19 Jan.):
There is likewise a private genteel hanging stair in the uppermost lodging.Rxb. 1825 J. Haig Kelso & Rxb. 137:
The ascent is by a hanging stair of fifty-one steps.(23) Ork.⁵ 1957:
“Hingan stitch,” for repairing a shoe sole that has parted from the upper. A row of stitches are sewed through the upper, not drawing the loops tight, then sewing along the sole, and taking each stitch through the loop of the stitch above it, so lacing the sole to the upper.

10. Combs. with pa.ppl. hangit, hung as one element: (1) half-hung tee, lit. half-attached, i.e. not having the full characteristics or qualities of (a trade, profession, social rank, or the like), not fully-fledged, not genuine, semi-qualified, pseudo- (ne.Sc. 1957); (2) hung-cheese, see quot. and (5) and Hangman; †(3) hangit-faced, looking ripe for the gallows, gallows-faced, villainous (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.); †(4) hangit-like, -lookin, shamefaced, having an air of constraint or reluctance, hang-dog (Sc. 1825 Jam.); †(5) hung-milk, a kind of curds or cream cheese formed from milk or cream clotted by heat and hung up in a linen bag until all whey has drained away, Crowdie (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1932 J. Saxby Trad. Lore 167); (6) hung wunnock, a window opening on hinges; (7) ill-hung-tee, — thegither, of persons or their appearance: awkwardly knit, clumsily built, dressed without care or taste (Sh., Cai., ne.Sc., Kcb. 1957).(1) Abd. 1952 Buchan Observer (17 June):
She would maintain the barrow was less “sair on the back” than the stooping jobs of spreading and setting the peats to dry. She was among the last of a class of half-hung-tee farm workers, now entirely passed away.(2) Dmb. 1794 D. Ure Agric. Dmb. 77:
Hung cheese is not unfrequently made in several places of the county. It is called hung, when the curds are tied up in a cloth or net; and, to get quit of the whey, are hung up, instead of being put under the press. (3) Ags. 1873 D. M. Ogilvy Poems 17:
A cocklaird wi' a pickle gowd, Auld, hangit-faced, pock-marked, and bowed.(4) Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 106:
Tak aff your dram, elder, and dinna look sae hangit-like; the lift winna fa', though the kirk may!Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories (Ser. 2) 77:
He was an ill-shapit, badly-shewn, half-hangit lookin' wirriecow o' a craitur.(6) Rnf. 1732 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) H. 53:
Twa hung wunnocks, but nae glass in them.(7) Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 27:
Strong, though ill-hung thegither, wi' a bull neck an' great trams o' hough-banes like cairt shafts, an' muckle splay feet.

11. To lay in a sloping position (Ork. 1975). Cf. II. 1. Sc. 1809 Farmer's Mag. 287:
The first quality of a good builder, is to hing the sheaves well.

II. n. 1. Used as Eng. hang, the action of hanging or hanging up (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); a downward inclination, slope; also applied to the act of leaning out of a window for amusement (e. and wm.Sc., Gall. 1957), or hanging on the back of a moving vehicle (Bnff. 1957). Also hingie, hing-oot. Bnff. 1892 Trans. Bnffsh. Field Club 62:
[We] heard the too-tr-oo of the horn, and enjoyed the luxury of a hing.Ags.¹⁶ 1948:
Hashin' for a hing: i.e. working hard to have leisure to look out of the window.wm.Sc. 1954 Bulletin (2 Jan.) 6:
They plant their houses down on the bare earth and forget that one of the delights of urban life is a “Guid hing oot the windae” to see the crowds and to be seen.Ags.¹⁹ 1957:
Hingin on a hingie — leaning out of a window to watch the street.Kcd. 1960 Press & Jnl. (3 Oct.):
If a stack is built slack and not too big, with a little bit of a taper, with plenty of "hing" to the outside, the sheaves will dry in the stack.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 34:
hingie Also called a hing or hing-oot, this is a time-honoured pastime for tenement dwellers: 1. Open a window facing onto the street. 2. Place elbows on window sill (if contemplating a long stint a cushion is recommended). 3. Hang out so as to be able to observe all that passes in the street or conduct a conversation with someone on the ground. You are now having a hingie. Gsw. 1991 John Burrowes Mother Glasgow 165:
Then she raised the living-room window, put a pillowcase across the sill, folded her arms on it and leaned out for a 'hing', which everyone in the old Glasgow knew was the only way to watch the world go by. m.Sc. 1997 Liz Niven Past Presents 18:
Huv ye ever hid a guid hing?
Dae ye ken whit a guid hing is?
Weel, ye fling open yer windae,
Plant yer elbows ower the ledge
An hae a guid gowp oot. Edb. 2003:
Ma Ma telt me it wis coammon tae hae a hingie

2. A rope, pulley or other apparatus by which something is suspended.Bte. 1729 Rothesay T.C. Rec. (1935) II. 721:
To John Moor wright £2 for mending the hing of the bell.Kcd. 1883 Fish and Fisheries (Herbert) 115:
About 18 inches within the hanging brace, and attached to a strong beam resting upon the side-walls, are the “hangs,” between which and the “back reest” the spitted fish are suspended. These hangs are made of good 9-ply sma'-line, and are put on the beam double.

3. Fig.: (1) A drag, burden, deadweight. Also hing-on, (a source or period of) delay, tedium or weariness, an encumbrance, hindrance. Gen.(exc. I.)Sc.Lnk. 1895 W. Stewart Lilts and Larks 60:
Would ye ken true comfort's leisure? First ken labour's constant hing.Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chron. (27 Sept.) 2:
After a lang hing on, oo sat doon for a rest on the brae.Abd.¹ 1929:
I'm some lang o' comin', the bairn wis a hing-on.Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 49:
Eh, but that's fine, noo; ye've had a sair hing-on! Is't a laddie or a lassie?

(2) A period of idleness or leisure (m.Lth. 1957). Phr. on the hing.Lnk. 1875 T. Stewart Doric Rhyme 198:
Wha the deil wadna sing! we ha'e plenty o' hing; Lord, Adam, are ye gettin' ony ava?Lth. 1876 S. Smiles Sc. Naturalist 144:
He also contrived to preserve his specimens . . . in his idle times “betwixt pairs”, — whilst, as shoemakers would say, they were “on the hing”.

(3) A fluctuating or indeterminate state. Phr. on the hing, in the balance (Per., m.Lth., Ayr., Kcb., Dmf. 1957).Gall. 1953:
Prices are on the hang e'ennoo . . . i.e. in the balance (as between profit and loss).