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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

MEALIE, adj., n.¹ Also meelie, -y. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. mealy. [Sc. ′mili; em.Sc.(a) ′mele]

I. adj. 1. Made with or containing oatmeal. In combs.: (1) mealy-bag, a bag carried by a beggar for holding alms given in oatmeal; (2) mealie candy, a sweet containing oatmeal, sugar, treacle and ginger (Sc. 1929 F. M. McNeill Scots Kitchen 226); (3) mealy-creeshy, -crushy, meal-a-crushie, — crushey, oatmeal fried in fat (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Dwn. 1931 Northern Whig (5 Dec.) 13; wm.Sc., Wgt. 1962). See Creeshie, adj., Combs. 4.; (4) mealie drink, a drink of water into which oatmeal has been sprinkled (Per. 1916 Wilson L. Strathearn 257; Ork., Abd., Per. 1975); (5) mealie dumpling, a round pudding of oatmeal and fat with seasoning, and boiled in broth or steamed. Gen.Sc. Used fig. in 1951 quot. of a soft effeminate man (Mry. 1962); (6) mealie jerker, = (9). See Jerker, n.; (7) mealie-jim(mie), -jam, -jum, id., see Jimmie; (8) mealy kail, see Kail, n., 3.; (9) mealie-pudding, a sausage-shaped pudding made of oatmeal and fat, a white pudding (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 257). Gen.Sc.; (10) mealie sids, the inner husks of the grain of the oat which still have meal adhering to them when ground, used for making Sowens. See Seed.(1) Ayr. 1786 Burns Jolly Beggars Recit. i. ii.:
Weel brac'd wi mealy bags.Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 23:
Ane clad in hoden grey, Wi' mealy bags and hollan.(3) Uls. 1957 J. J. Abraham Surgeon's Journey 19:
Breakfast consisted of bacon and egg fried in a pan with fadge or “meelacrusha”.(5) Gsw. 1951 H. W. Pryde M. McFlannel's Romance 80:
Ah'm no' steyin' here tae listen tae that mealie dumplin' talkin' saft soap.(9) Abd. 1909 R. J. MacLennan Yon Toon 24:
I never saw sic a rin as there's been i' the skate an' pottit heid the nicht. Wad ye tak' a mealie puddin' or a quarter o' goudie?Sc. 1946 Hansard (Commons) (24 July) 186:
Dr Summerskill: Haggis will remain unrationed. Mealy puddings come within the definition of flour confectionery and will require the surrender of BU coupons.Sc. 1949 A. K. Taylor From Gsw. Slum 14:
Mealie puddings are made with oatmeal and pork fat, and chopped onions, stuffed in sausage skins.(10) Abd. 1906 Banffshire Jnl. (3 July) 3:
An' Meali[e] sids were worth the steepin' Had Auld Folk noo awa'.

2. Associated with meal, in combs.: ¶(1) Mealy Monday, a Scottish University holiday, Meal Monday, see Meal, n.¹, 2. (21); (2) mealy mouse, a mouse which lives in a place where meal is stored or ground.(1) Sc. 1929 F. M. McNeill Scots Kitchen 15:
An annual holiday known as Mealy Monday is still celebrated in the Scottish Universities.(2) wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan II. 132:
Up the stair we scrambled like twa cats after a cushey-doo or a mealy mouse.

3. Of soil: having a fine tilth, friable (Arg.¹ 1937; Ags., Fif. 1962).

II. n. A mealie pudding, see adj., 1. (8) (Abd. 1961).