Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866
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†SHAUM, v., n. Also shawn.
I. v. To sit before a fire warming oneself with the legs apart (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 154). Hence vbl.n., ppl.adj. shauman, -in, the act of doing this; indolent, inclined to sit by the fire doing nothing (Ib.).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 103:
He's a lazy flail o' cheel, for he diz naething bit leep our the fire, an' shawm wee's feet i' the ais.
II. n. The act of sitting lazily beside the fire with one's feet in the ashes (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 154).
[Also in n.Eng. dial. as above, and phs. borrowed thence. The form suggests a southern equivalent of Scam, q.v.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Shaum v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/shaum>
