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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SUP, v., n.

I. v. To take (liquid or soft food) into the mouth, esp. with a spoon (Sc. 1808 Jam., 1881 A. Mackie Scotticisms 51). Sometimes with up. Gen.Sc. Rare or dial. in Eng.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 147:
He had need of a long Spoon that sups Kail with the Dee'l.Ayr. a.1796 Merry Muses (1911) 45:
The brose ye sup at e'en. Sc. 1818 S. Ferrier Marriage xxvii.: Girls that sup their porridge will always cut a good figure.Bwk. 1876 W. Brockie Leaderside Leg. 45:
The laich herd's hoose, Where I suppit nettle kail.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe i.:
To sup champers with our friend Jim.Gsw. 1889 J. Houston Autobiography 109:
I've learned him tae sup parritch.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 63:
Sooghin, as tho' suppin curds.Sc. 1939 St Andrews Cit. (30 Dec.) 7:
To take out a little of the meat paste and sup it.

Derivs. (1) suppable, fit to be supped in this way, palatable (ne., em., sm. and s.Sc. 1971); (2) suppin, vbl.n., (i) in comb. suppin-sowans, Sowans thick enough to be taken with a spoon, as opposed to drinkin-sowans (see Sowans, I. 2. (4)) (Ork., ne.Sc. 1971); (ii) in pl. suppins, soft semi-liquid food, spoon-meat.(1) Sc. 1825 Jam.:
Thai kail ar sae saut, they're no suppable.Sc. 1897 L. Keith Bonnie Lady iv.:
They [porridge]'re no suppable when they're cauld.(2) (ii) Sc. 1754–64 W. Smellie Midwifery III. 77:
I directed some Thebaick drops with warm suppings.Rnf. 1766 Session Papers, Ballantyne v. Wallace Proof 38:
Peasemeal 101/2d. and suppens 6d. to dogs.

II. n. 1. A mouthful of liquid or spoon-meat, an indefinite quantity of such, enough to satisfy one for the time being, a drink of liquor (Abd. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc. Also fig. The usual idiom is for the o(f) to be omitted before the word governed, e.g. a sup water, a sup parritch, a sup soup, etc. See O, prep., 1. (5). Dim. suppie.Abd. 1733 W. Forbes Dominie Depos'd (1765) 30:
Wae worth that weary sup of drink.Rnf. a.1810 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 196:
Poor Tom loves his sup.Sc. 1823 Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 117:
In wi' your glasses, lads — there's a sup mair in the bowl yet.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet xv.:
“A sup at parting,” said Father Crackenthorp, extending a flask to Nanty Ewart.Sc. 1843 R. Nicoll Poems 160:
Although our parritch-cap be sma', To him who needs it yet we'll spare a sup.Bnff. 1881 W. M. Philip K. MacIntosh's Scholars 95:
Makin her suppie porridge wi' his ain han.Kcb. 1897 J. Morrison Miss McGraw 15:
Will ye tak a sup o' tea an' a bite o' bread?Ags. 1904 V. Jacob Interloper xix.:
Maybe ye'll take a suppie brose.Mry. 1969 L. G. Rich White Rose of Druminnor 10:
I had aye yer suppie broth Tae bid ye welcome hame.Abd. 1993:
Wid ye like a suppie tay tae cheer yersel up? Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 49:
Fin Henry socht Norman roon the neist Setterday fur a suppie maet, he lowpit at the inveet. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 71:
I hope ye dinna mind me jynin ye, yer Reverence, bit seein's there's hardly onybody else here I thocht ye'd enjoy the company. I suppose ye cudna afford tae ging abroad fur yer holidays either, nae wi the wee suppie fowk fa uses the kirk nooadays.

2. Of other liquids: a quantity, amount, e.g. of rain (ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a). Ayr. 1971). Also dim. suppie. Also in Eng. dial.Abd. 1872 J. G. Michie Deeside Tales 150:
There had been a good sup rain the nicht afore.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
A good sup of rain fell last night.Abd. 1969:
There's still a sup water in the burn.Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 30:
Some of them had a bowie 'neath the spoot at the gable to catch a suppie rain water from the roof.