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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.

RAMSCOOTER, v., n. Also ramskooter; ramsqueeter (Abd.4 1931). [rɑm′skutər, Abd. -′skwitər]

I. v. To set about with violence, drub, trounce, drive off in terror (ne.Sc., Per., Slg., w.Lth., Lnk., Kcb. 1967). Nonce deriv. ramscootrify, id.Abd. 1887 Bon-Accord (18 June) 16:
Tho' Teenie shood ramskooter my heed wi' the bakin'-roller fam I came hame i' the mornin'.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables xiii.:
“Ye little hempy, I'll — I'll ramscootrify ye!” and I shook the little dyvour till its teeth chattered in the heid o't.Bnff. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
When Malcolm ramscootered the Danes.Inv. 1948 Football Times (11 Sept.):
When gang warfare broke out the cry of the leader was — “I'll ramskooter the lot.”Gsw. 2000 Donny O'Rourke in Alec Finlay Atoms of Delight 129:
Ramscooter
When you're ramscootered, you're on your knees
Completely vanquished by your enemies

II. n. 1. A state of dither or distracted activity.Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 67:
In a ramsqueeter, she flew an' geddert oxterfu's o' the seggs an heddir.Abd.15 c.1930:
It gid a' tull a ramsqueeter.

2. A clumsy fellow (Bnff. 1967).Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
Ye muckle ramscooter o' a loon.

[The word is found in n.Eng. and Ir. dial. in the sense of to drench with water from a Scout or water-pistol, and the above usages may have been developments from this. But the variants suggest that the word was popularly taken as if from Ram-, pref. with an arbitrary second element based on Scoot, Squatter, Squeeter. Cf. Ramskittle, Ramstoorie.]

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