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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PLUMP, v.², n.²Sc. usages:

I. v. 1. As in colloq. Eng. Hence plumper, n., the staff or plunger of a plunge-churn (ne.Sc. 1966); comb. plumper-, plumping-churn, a churn worked by a plunger which is raised and lowered perpendicularly with a rapid plumping or plunging motion, a plunge-churn. Cf. II. 1. below and Plowt.Abd. 1731 Monymusk Papers (S.H.S.) 7:
A pluming [sic] churn estimate at one shilling ster.Abd. c.1880 Gregor MSS.:
To keep away the evil influence of the witch some had the habit of putting salt on the lid of the churn round the hole through which the stalk of the “plumper” passed.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 112:
The old-fashioned straight plumper churn, being . . . most suitable for holding a dinner for a large number of people.Abd. 1954 Banffshire Jnl. (20 April):
The mechanical raising and lowering of the plumper in the churn.

2. Of rain: to fall heavily, cascade, fall in sheets (Sc. 1818 Sawers). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1879 J. Brown Letters (1909) 261:
It'll be kittle to plump, but it'll no be a wecht o' weet.Sc. 1965 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 416:
Next morning it was thundery. “Heavy”, I remarked tentatively to our hostess. “Plumpish”, she corrected firmly. “Aye, it'll plump later”.Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 66:
Ye better take yer brolly cos it's gauny plump. You should take your umbrella as it is going to rain heavily. Arg. 1993:
It's gonny plump.

3. Of a liquid or semi-liquid substance: to make a loud bubbling or plopping noise, e.g. in boiling (Uls. 1966). Ppl.adj. plumpin, plopping. Deriv. plumper, a bumper, hearty drink.Sc. 1766 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 182:
Ye's get a panfu' plumpin' parrage.Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy G. Chalmers vii.:
Let us solace ourselves with another plumper.

II. n. 1. As in Eng., a heavy fall, a thud, a plunge into water or the like, a sousing, ducking, a splash. Phr. to play plump, to plunge, dive (Sh., Per. 1966).Ayr. 1903 G. Cunningham Verse and Prose 148:
A fish . . . abune the water played plump.

Combs.: (1) plump-hasher, an implement which slices turnips, etc., by the fall of a heavy metal rammer on a grid of blades (Abd. 1948 Abd. Press and Jnl. (15 May); Bnff., Abd. 1966); (2) plump-hole, in Mining: a subsidence of the ground caused by mining operations beneath it, a Sit (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 52); (3) plump-kirn, a plunge-churn (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 131; ne.Sc. 1966). Cf. I. 1. above.(1) Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 112:
I have heard of milk “saps” being taken to the Moss in a “plump” churn for dinner.

2. A heavy downpour of rain, a deluge, “the heavy shower that often succeeds a clap of thunder” (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson). Gen.Sc. Also in combs. plump-shower, thunder-plump, id.Sc. 1705 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) I. 77:
I was tosted between wind and wave, with sin within, and adversity without; after that came like a plump-shouer from heaven.Ayr. 1822 Galt Steam-Boat xi.:
The thunder-plump that drookit me to the skin.Dmf. 1826 A. Cunningham Paul Jones I. ii.:
There will be a plump o' rain that wad turn a barley mill.Sc. 1878 Stevenson Inland Voyage 74:
The whole day was showery, with occasional drenching plumps.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister (1898) 85:
He ran peat water like a spout in a thunder plump.em.Sc. 1913 J. Black Gloamin' Glints 83:
Syne though dark cluds or thunder plumps Oor feathers a' may drook.Sc. 1926 H. McDiarmid Drunk Man 33:
Like a thunder-plump on the sunlicht, Or the slounge o' daith on my dreams.Gsw. 1933 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 305:
What's the sense in getting drooked when There's shelter? It's going to be a proper plump.