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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SMACHERIE, n. Also smach(i)rie, smachry; smaichery; sma(c)kery; smag(g)rie, -ry. [′smɑx(ə)re]

1. A large number of miscellaneous small objects, esp. in a state of disorder or confusion, a higgledy-piggledy mass (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff, 169, smachirie, smaggirie); sim. of people, esp. children (Abd. 1970).Abd. 1837 J. Leslie Willie & Meggie 22:
A smachry o' ragget, girnin' geets.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 169:
Sic a smachirie o' bairns is at the squeel.Abd. 1867 W. Anderson Rhymes 66:
A sma' farmer . . . Wi' a smachrie o' littlins beside.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 44:
An infinity o lichts
That ding oor human cantrips intae smachrie -
A pucklie smush
Ooto the wallopin faulds
O the pooch o time.

2. Specif.: a hotch-potch of food, freq. of sweet-meats, confectionery, or the like, a mixture of dainties (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 169, Per. 1880 Jam., smaggrie; ne.Sc., Ags. 1970). Also attrib., in 1916 quot. used to translate Proverbs iv. 24 “perverse.”Abd. 1754 R. Forbes Jnl. from London 30:
They sent in some smachry or ither to me, an' a pint of their scuds.Abd. 1851 W. Anderson Rhymes 200:
Your ketchup and sauces, your soups and preserves, Your smachries are only a fusionless dose.Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 47:
Whan fouk hae gweed ale on their gantrees, And fouth o' smachry i' their pantries.Abd. 1867 W. Anderson Rhymes 104:
But as for drinkin' tea — 'twas nae for her Sic smachrie trash to use.Abd. 1888 Bon-Accord (24 Nov.) 9:
To chaw awa' at sweeties an' smakery.Sc. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayins iv. 24:
Lat nae smachrie words smit yer lips.Abd. 1958 Bon-Accord (1 May) 10:
Galshichs o' smachrie stuff.Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 55:
As they wint aff she wint intae her purse and took oot twa half-croons. She gaed them tae the mither for tae buy some smackery for the bairns.