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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

KIP, n.¹, v.² Also kipp, kepp, kype.

I. n. 1. A turned-up tip, “anything that is beaked or turned up” (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Fif. 1960), specif. a turned-up nose (Bwk. 1912 J. Burleigh Ednam 57); the projecting cartilage on the lower jaw of the male salmon at spawning time (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sc. 1960 Sc. Field (Sept.) 39, kype). Ppl.adj. kyped. Adj. kippie, -y, of cattle: having upturned horns (Kcd., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1960); of persons: having a turned-up nose (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Fif. 1960).s.Sc. 1860 J. Locke Tweed and Don 34:
The male fish is provided by nature, at this season, with a bony substance or kip, which grows on his lower jaw, to enable him to make the hole in the gravel for the female to deposit her spawn in; and further in the upper jaw it also has a hole, into which, when its mouth is closed, it exactly fits.Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 297:
He's a kip to his nose, an' a cast i' his e'e.Sc. 1948 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 44:
At the next cast it was on, and presently he was lifting the net under a mate for his catch, a deep-bodied kyped male to match his female [sea-trout].Uls. 1960:
She thinks she's lovely an' look at the kip [turned-up nose] on her.

Combs.: (1) kepp-headed, kipp-, of cattle: having turned-up horns; (2) kip-horned, id.; (3) kip-nebbit, having a turned-up nose (Slk. 1825 Jam.). Also of boots: with turned-up toes (Rxb. 1960); (4) kip(e)-nose, a nose turned up at the tip (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Kcd. (kype-), Rxb. 1960). Hence kip-nosed (Sc. 1825 Jam.) and kipper-nose (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). This last, however, may be a comb. of kipper, a male salmon at spawning, prob. of the same ultimate orig.; (5) kipper-hippet, having narrow, angular hips (Dmf. 1960). See above.(1) Lth. 1699 Edb. Gazette (18–21 Dec.):
Strayed on Wednesday . . . a little back [sic] Cow, green Horn'd, and Kepp-headed, bought the same day at Edinburgh.Lth. 1701 Ib. (13–16 Jan.):
Strayed from New-Millns near Haddingtoun the 25th of the last Month, a black Kipp headed Cow.(2) Per. 1830 Perthshire Advert. (13 May):
There was Lost near Redstone, on the road leading from Coupar Angus to Perth, a Light Branded, Kip Horned, Ferrie Cow.(4) Slk. 1822 Hogg Perils of Man II. ii.:
Tam and Gibbie, with their long kipper noses, peeping over his shoulder.(5) Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce I. xii.:
Miss Nicky, though a reigning toast and belle, was what the bucks of those days called kipper-hippet.

2. A jutting or projecting point on a hill (Ayr. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; m.Lth. 1960), the summit of a sharp-pointed hill (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Sc. 1825 Jam.), common in place-names, esp. in s.Sc. Dim. kippie, a small hill (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Ags.², Lnk.¹¹ 1941).Peb. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIV. 113:
Another place which goes by the name of the Kip. This kip . . . is composed of a row of very large stones . . . placed in a circular form . . . and the middle space filled with stones and gravel. This place I take to have been intended as an alarm tower.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xv.:
1 saw the bit crookit moon come stealing o'er the kipps o' Bowerhope Law.Edb. 1845 Stat. Acc.² I. 349:
It was endowed by its founder with the church lands of Pentland, four acres of meadow near that town, with the kips, and eight sowmes of grass.s.Sc. 1868 Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club V. 376:
Kip rocks are numerous in Scotland, the name being applied to jutting eminences or upright points of rocks.s.Sc. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. II. 88:
Brave Bruce clomb, unskathed, Abyssinia's dread kipps.Peb. 1899 J. Grosart Chronicles 197:
Turn then to the right and mount Shielgreen middle “kip,” and your reward will be a magnificent view of the County.Bwk. 1912 J. Burleigh Ednam 57:
The Kip in Edenmouth is also Anglo-Saxon, and those who would derive it from the Latin caput have against them Tweedside mothers who familiarly talk of the nez retroussé of their neighbour's child as “a Kip.”

II. v. To turn or tilt up, as of a nose, a cow's horn, etc. (Kcd., Cld. 1825 Jam.; Fif. 1960). Also with up (Abd. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 169). Ppl.adj. kippit, kepped, uptilted, turned up (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein).Edb. 1771 Caled. Mercury (9 Dec.):
Strayed . . . a middle sized Black Milk Cow, with kepped horns.Ags. 1891 A. Lowson Tales, etc. 90:
He had a prominent nose, slightly kipped.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A kippit nose is a sign o' short temper.s.Sc. 1929 Sc. Readings (Paterson) 44:
A hard he had a reid heid an' an awfy kippit up nose.