Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
STUFFIE, adj. Also stuffy. Sc. usages:
1. In good health, sturdy, robust, full of vigour (Lth., Cld. 1925 Jam.; em.Sc.(a), wm., sm. and s.Sc. 1971). Also adv. and subst., a sturdy vigorous person. Derivs. stuffily, stoutly, sturdily, “perseveringly” (Cld. 1825 Jam.); stuffiness, ability to endure fatigue, robustness (Ib.).Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 155:
A short, stuffy-looking old man.Peb. 1832 R. D. C. Brown Sc. Dram. Poets V. 44:
A querty, stuffy, haveril quean.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 26:
Gin my loongs were as stuffie as they ance were.Ayr. 1879 J. White Jottings 237:
Auld stuffy sune set to his wark.Hdg. 1889 J. Lumsden Lays Linton 110:
At Prestonpans his Hielant dirk Nae clansman plied mair stuffy.Fif. 1890 A. J. G. Mackay Sc. Proverbs 52:
“Be stuffy; an ye dinna be stuffy, be as stuffy as ye can”, was the advice so often given by an old Dunfermline farmer to his men that they called him “Old Stuffy.”Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 158:
Till of late oor hopes were high That ewes come Spring wad stuffie be.Lnk. 1927 R. A. Chrystal Angling Theories 245:
The word “stuffy”, although not peculiar to that district, is not in very general use, and means nothing more than strong or healthy.s.Sc. 1934 Border Mag. (Nov.) 166:
“Ay, Geordie, and how are ye the day?” she would ask. “Dod, I canna complain. Are ye a' gey stuffy tae?”
2. Spirited, plucky, game, “applied to one who will not easily give up in a fray ” (Fif. 1825 Jam.; Ags., Fif., Bwk., wm.Sc., Wgt. 1971).Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 27:
Keep a stuffie bit heart whate'er be your fate.
