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 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RAMP, v.² Of milk: to form into a glutinous or viscid consistency, to become ropy; also used of bannocks (see 1856 quot.). Freq. in ppl.adj. rampin(g), rampan.n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
Milk is said to ramp, when from some disease in the cow, it becomes ropy, and is drawn out into threads, like any glutinous substance.m.Lth. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 132:
Rampin' milk an' bear baps, we then counted a feast.Ags. 1821 A. Lowson R. Guidfollow (1890) 235:
The milk frae ony cow could steal An' make whole meltits ramp!Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 144:
Sower milk, rampin' lang like stiffin'.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 89:
When bannocks made of barley-meal, or of pease and barley-meal mixed — which are commonly used by our hinds and cottars — are kept too long, they contract a very peculiar taste, and on breaking through the cake or bannock, a great number of small white filiments are observed, very like the threads or lines of the gossamer spider; and when bread is in this state, it is said to be rampan.Abd. c.1890 Gregor MSS.:
The cream was churned all that day into night and all next day, but no butter was got. The cream did only “ramp”, i.e. rise in froth.

Also adj. rampish, thick, ropy, of a fluid (Ags. 1975). Abd. 1921:
Ale's strunge, eggs is rampish; I'll hae some fusky.