Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPUE, v., n. Also speu, spju. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. spew (Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 19; Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Trad. 56; Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 210; Sh. 1897 Shetland News (5 June); Kcb. 1913 G. M. Gordon Auld Clay Biggin' 16, speu; Ork. 1949 “Lex” But-end Battans 6, speu). [spju:]

I. v. 1. As in Eng. in phrs.: (1) eaten (I.Sc. gleppid) and spued (-leukin, -like), sickly in appearance, pasty-faced, woebegone (I. and n.Sc., Ags., Per. Kcb. 1971). See Eat, II. 2.(1); (2) spuin-fou, replete, esp. with drink, to the point of vomiting (ne.Sc., Ags., Kcb. 1971); (3) spewmagruel, wishy-washy, unpalatable food, specif. a ploughmen's nickname for thin milk puddings or rice soup (Bnff., Abd. 1921). Cf. Spout, II. 2.(1); (4) spew-sick, = (2); (5) spewsome, ugly, unpleasant, loathsome, enough to make one sick (Kcb. 1971).(1) Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 25:
It's an eaten and a spewed-like thing.(2) Edb. 1727 A. Pennecuik Poems (1750) 10:
A' spewing fou.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 122:
Some o' them hid been spuin' fou, fernyear, an' made an' awfu' chaumer.(4) Abd. 1904 W. A. G. Farquhar Fyvie Lintie 76:
Satan, delighted wi' the sight O' a' his fouk sae spew-sick.(6) Sc. 1894 Stevenson Vailima Letters (1917) 332:
There's another thing in Seeley called some spewsome name, I cannot recall it.

2. Fig. usages: (1) of a cooking pot: to boil over; (2) of a pudding: to burst, split open (Sh., Abd. 1971); (3) of corn, with oot: to form ears; (4) of water, liquids, smoke, etc.: to flow, pour, run in a copious stream, billow out. Freq. with out, owre. Gen.Sc.(1) Abd. 1892 Innes Review (Autumn 1956) 89:
The pot wasna allowed to boil owre fast or else it wad spew.(2) Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 98:
Den in da pot wi' careful haand, Shü plumps dem ane by ane in; An no ta lit dem spleet or spue, Fast ower she pricks a pin in.(3) Abd. 1902 Weekly Free Press (26 July):
Barley's spewin' oot, bit aits are gey far back.(4) Ayr. 1786 Burns Vision iii.:
The spewing reek . . . that filled . . . The auld, clay biggin.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Tales 37:
The spate spew'd owre ilk burn and sleugh.Rxb. 1826 A. Scott Poems 46:
The curling reek spew'd out frae mony a lum.Abd. 1867 A. Allardyce Goodwife 5:
It aye comes spewin to the door, We've sic a weary lum.

II. n. 1. As in Eng. Sc. fig. usages: (1) (a puff of) smoke (Sh., Ags. 1971), phs. partly altered from Pew, n., 2.; (2) an ugly or disgusting sight (Sh. 1971).(1) Ayr. 1880 J. Tannock Poems 29:
While doon comes aye the tither spue.Ayr.⁴ 1928:
A wee spue o' reek.(2) Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Hit's a spju to be seen.

2. A retch, a vomiting motion Gen.Sc.; fig. a belch (of smoke).Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 155:
Till, bush! — he gae a desperate spue.Abd. 1900 C. Murray Hamewith 31:
The brimstane reek wi' an upward spew Swirled roon' baith the Deil an' the Deevilock.