Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PAP, n.2, v.1 Also papp-, pop-, pawp. Sc. forms and usages:
I. n. As in Eng., a soft wet pasty substance, in Sc. specif. a paste or dressing of flour and water or a similar substance, used by weavers for giving body to their webs (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); cf. II. below. Hence pappy, pawpy, adj., of persons: conceited, stiff with self-esteem, starchy, “stuck-up”, officious, pompous.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 249:
Ye are gey pappy, an' stuffed fu' o' pride.Fif. 1959 I. and P. Opie Lore and Language 175:
In Kirkcaldy a bossy person is “pawpy ”.
II. v., tr. To apply flour dressing to a material or fabric in order to stiffen it, to treat with pap. Vbl.n. pappin', pop(p)in, = I. (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 141:
Poppin: Sheep's palate, boiled into a jelly, used by weavers in dressing their webs.Slk. 1893 R. Hall Schools 28:
Weavers . . . who considered they had a prescriptive right to the ground for the purpose of “poppin' their webs.”
