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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

MERGH, n. Also mar(g)h (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems Gl., a.1796 Merry Muses (1959) 84); merg; marth; merki, mergie, merky (I.Sc.); megh, maich (Ags. 1808 Jam.). [mɛrx, mɑrx; I.Sc. ′mɛrgi, -ki]

‡1. Marrow (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., merki, Sh. 1962, mergie).Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 84:
Bouse the quegh, Till the gout fastens on their megh Wi' deadly racks.Sc. 1802 Scott Minstrelsy I. 187:
And the mergh o' his shin bane has run down on his spur leather whang.n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
It is commonly said, when a person is advised to take something that is supposed to be highly nutritive, That will put mergh in your beins.Slk. a.1822 Hogg Perils of Man I. iv.:
“Twa wanton glaikit gillies, I'll uphaud”, said Pate, . . . “o'er muckle marth i' the back, an' meldar i' the brusket”.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 103:
Wi' miny a tirs an' rug an' ferky, His beens a' trumblan' tae the merky.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 233:
Ane braks da bane, anidder sooks Da mergie o' it.

2. Strength, pith, vitality; ability (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1962); essence, substance.Abd. 1748 R. Forbes Ajax 16:
Nor has he mergh intil his banes To wield Achilles' spear.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 177:
But mergh, alas! to disengage Your bonny bouck frae fettering cage.Ags. 1815 G. Beattie John o' Arnha' (1852) 40:
His mergh an' mettle now are gone.Sh. 1950 New Shetlander No. 20. 26:
Da mergie a human kindness, bit it's da fremd at gies it.

3. Deriv. merghless, marrowless.Ags. 1815 G. Beattie John o' Arnha' (1852) 46:
An' lent each other [ghosts] ruthless paiks Athort the bare and merghless spaiks.