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 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

JUPE, n.¹ Also juip, jeup; joop, joup; jup(p); jub (Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 133) and dim. forms joopie, -ee, jup(p)i(e), joopan (reg. in I.Sc.). See also Gipe, Jeep. [dʒøp, dʒyp, dʒup]

1. A loose tunic, jacket or coat worn by men (Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Bwk. 1942 Wettstein, Rxb. 1942 Zai, jupie; Ork., Slg., Fif. 1959); specif.: a shirt, under-shirt or jerkin, usu. woollen, without buttons and having holes for inserting head and arms (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1914 Angus Gl., jupi; Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 152, joop; Sh. 1959); a fisherman's short canvas smock (Sh. 1959); a child's smock or pelisse (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai, jup(i)e). Also attrib.Ork. 1720 P. Ork. A.S. VII. 54:
For a jup to a child . . . 12s.Sc. 1726 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 230:
Take aff, take aff his costly jupe.Dmf. 1823 Carlyle Early Life (Froude) I. 203:
I put on my gray duffle sitting jupe.Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 592:
Hee hedd on a grey Joopee nevvir bün i da watter.Ayr. 1841 J. Paton Songs 27:
His jupe sleev't coat o' curious mak.Ork. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Report App. A. 275:
With regard to dress in last century, the peasant, when a boy, wore only one woollen garment fitting close, having sleeves, and covering the body from neck to knees, it was called a jupe.Sh. 1915 Old-Lore Misc. VIII. i. 60:
He wiz sittan shewan a joop anunder hit.

Hence applied to any loose, ill-fitting garment — “a jupe o' a thing” (Mry. 1919 T.S.D.C. III. 28) with adj. jupsie, of a garment: ill-fitting, loose and bulky (Ork. 1959).Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 4:
His mither hed stappid a lock o' papers . . . i' the tail pooch o' his muckle jupsie cot.

†2. A woman's short loose jacket, kirtle or bodice (Hdg. 1844 J. Miller Lamp Lth. (1900) 54; Rnf.¹ c.1920; Slk.¹ 1929); a bed-gown (Cld. 1808 Jam.); in pl.: a pair of loose stays or a flannel garment used in their place (Ags. 1808 Jam.).Sc. 1700 Edb. Gazette (15–19 Aug.):
Stoln and Robed out of Widow Allan's in Gogartoun . . . a Joop of Indian Caligo and a Froge for a Child.Ayr. 1780 S.H.S. Misc. VI. 263:
A short gown fitted closely to the bust or upper part of the body and commonly called a “jupp,” adapted for domestic wear & common toil, was generally worn by the younger daughters or servant maids of the family.Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 168:
Where gat ye that joup o' the lily scheen?Ayr. 1868 J. K. Hunter Artist's Life 270:
A white quilted bed-gown or jupe; it was gaucy, and came over the hurdies.Dmf. 1891 J. Brown Sanquhar 312:
A loose jacket, called a “jupp”, made of printed cotton.