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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LUCKY, adj., adv. Sc. usages:

I. adj. 1. As in Eng., fortunate, bringing good luck. Combs. and Phr.: (1) lucky-box, a child's savings-box, a penny bank (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Mry., Bnff., Ags., Fif., wm.Sc., Kcb., Rxb. 1961); (2) lucky knot, a certain shape of knot in a timber of a boat, thought to bring luck in fishing (Sh. 1961); (3) lucky lump, a moderate-sized wave or lump or water, prob. used apotropaeically; (4) lucky man, used vocatively as a familiar form of address. Cf. Luckie, n. (5) lucky-penny, a luck-penny (Sh., Ork., ne.Sc., Fif., Lth., Wgt. 1961). See Luck, n., 1. (2); (6) lucky piper, a euphemistic term for the Devil; (7) lucky plack, the fee for the proclamation of banns, looked upon as bringing luck. See Plack; (8) lucky-pock, a lucky-bag, lucky dip or lottery. Gen.Sc.; (9) lucky-stane, a stone with a natural hole in it or other distinctive marks, used as a charm or talisman (Slk. 1961). Also in Eng. dial.; (10) lucky tattie, A candied confection covered in cinnamon powder with a small gift inside. (Cai., Bnff., Ags., Fif., Edb., Gsw., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s); (11) lucky words, the taboo-vocabulary of fishermen when at sea (Sh. 1961); (12) to find a lucky thing, to come on something valuable or interesting by accident (wm.Sc.², Wgt. 1961). Cf. Luck, n., 2.(2) Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 70:
Den dere wis da richt kind o' knotts, dat wis lucky knotts, da shape o' ling, keillen, or tusk.(3) Sh. 1881 in A. Halcrow Sail Fishermen (1950) 172:
There was a heavy westerly japp knocking up against her, not too bad, just what we usually called “lucky lumps.”(4)Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae xiii.:
"'Deed, an' ye'll sane tire o' that, lucky man," sneered the sonsy woman.(5) Dmf. 1958 Dmf. & Gall. Standard (19 April):
Mr Reid took this to be a cash sale, and gave Nichol 27s. 6d. as a “lucky penny.”(6) Sc. 1820 A. Sutherland St Kathleen III. v.:
“Ye maun surely hae had the lucky piper to help ye.” “Haud ye'r tongue, ye daft loun. Dinna ye ken it's near Sabbath mornin' and no a time to speak o' uncanny neighbours.”(7) Bnff. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 36:
To bed his wife he maunna take Till he pay thrice the lucky plack.(8) Per. 1898 C. Spence Poems 84:
[The boys] throng round Lizzie's lucky-pock, And draw the card, and try their luck.(9) Bwk. 1906 D. McIver Eyemouth 207:
The old-time fisher-folk in Eyemouth kept “lucky stones” for the purpose of breaking the spells of evil. These stones were made about the size of the palm of a man's hand, and in the centre of each there was a hole through which a piece of string was passed, and by this means the “lucky stone” was suspended from a nail conveniently placed at the back of the kitchen-door. By touching the stone, threatened disaster was supposed to be averted.(10)Rs. 1991 Bess Ross Those Other Times 105:
"Hm. How much is the lucky tatties?"
"Tuppence."
"Well, how much is the black sugars, please?"
"A ha'penny each. You'll get two of them for a penny."Sc. 1997 Edinburgh Evening News 29 Dec 12:
All was forgotten if you surfaced clutching a couple of coins, enough to buy a lucky tatty, a cinnamon stick to smoke or perhaps a fly's cemetery (a slice of fruit cake).(11) Sh. 1897 J. Jakobsen Dial. Sh. 23:
The Shetland fishermen before this day, like the fishermen in Faroe and Norway, had a great number of lucky words, words that they would use only at the “haaf” or deep-sea fishing.

2. Full, ample, in good measure, more than the standard or stipulated amount (Sc. 1818 Sawers, 1825 Jam., “lucky measure”; Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh., Cai., Ags., Fif., Lth., sm. and s.Sc. 1961). Lucky half, the better half.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 334:
The lucky thing gives the penny. If a thing be good, the bulkier the better; an apology for big people.Ayr. 1767 Ayr Presbytery Reg. MS. 275:
He was at that time working with Mr Dudgeon at Craighall about a lucky mile from the place where he should have been seen by said Key.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize II. xxxii.:
The sun has been set a lucky hour.Mry. 1828 J. Ruddiman Tales 255:
The lucky half o' them [cats] are but handmaidens to witches.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
Lucky half, rather more than half.Kcb. 1898 T. Murray Frae the Heather 64:
A schule built ticht, and dry abune, Wi' sittin's for a lucky score.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (26 Aug.):
Dey weigh'd a hunder weight twa quarters an' twal' pound lucky.Uls. 1901 J. W. Byers in North. Whig:
If you ask a man you meet on the road the distance to some town, he will say, “four miles, cliver, or lucky” — that is, the distance is more than the miles named.Sc. 1960 British Baker (6 May) 88:
If one wishes a weight [of dough] to be on the light side, that is gimp . . . If the weight is required on the heavy side it is lucky.

II. adv. As an intensive = abundantly, pretty, more than enough, “jolly”, “mighty” (Sh., Abd. 1961).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 87:
But she was shey, and held her head askew An' cries, lat be, ye kiss but luckie fast.Ags. 1798 in A. Reid Bards (1897) 13:
My Lord, — there's naught for labour here, Therefore I think them luckie dear.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
It's lucky muckle, it is too large.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 3:
But quo' she man ye're lucky light headed, Or else ye've grown lazy and slack.Ayr. 1895 H. Ochiltree Redburn ii.:
If she's no hame here lucky shairp, I'll tak' the road for her mysel'.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood xiv.:
Ye're lucky fond, lattin them a' ride ower ye that gait.[In sense I. 2. in O.Sc. from 1649.]