Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PREE, int. A call-name for a cow or calf, gen. used to call cows in for milking (Rs., Bnff., Abd., Per., Lnk., Ayr., Wgt., Uls. 1966). Freq. repeated, and also in extended forms preeay (Abd. 1903 E.D.D., ne.Sc. 1966), preea (Dmf. 1921 T.S.D.C., Ayr. 1966), peyay (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 381; Kcb. 1966), pee-ay (Gall. 1939 Observer (26 Feb.) 8; Rs., Wgt. 1966), prae (Rs. 1929), pree-leddy, -lady (Mry., Fif., Slg., Arg., Ayr. 1930), pledy (Dmf. 1933–5 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 327), pree-may, id. Cf. Proo. [pri:, pri-, pre-]Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 8:
(Calling the calves). Preemay, preemay, preemay! Troo, troo, troo! Noo, noo, Blackie, be a gentleman; ladies first, here, Fleckie, lass, here's your cogue.Slg. 1929 W. D. Cocker Dandie 41:
“Preea! preea!” she cried, An' the wee cauves cam' rinnin'.Gall. 1932 A. McCormick Galloway 202:
Earlier she had seen the cows disappearing through the wood on the farther side of the burn, so . . . she called aloud, “Hurlie Hawkie, Hurlie Hawkie; Preea Preea.”Ayr. 1999:
Preea! Preea! Preea! [call to calves coming to you]