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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

TOTUM, n.¹ Also tottum, -em, totim, toutom.

1. Reduced Sc. forms of Eng. teetotum, the four-sided top spun in games of chance, esp. put-and-take (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 82, toutom; Abd. 1956 J. Murray Rural Rhymes 9; I., n.Sc., Lnk., sm.Sc. 1972), the game itself (Sc. 1825 Jam.); any wooden top used as a plaything (Cai., Abd. 1972).Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 237:
The whole fraternity's gaun mad To yoke the totum.Dmf. 1826 A. Cunningham Paul Jones I. vi.:
The shepherd-bairns play at the totum on his braw brade gravestane.Mry. 1830 Elgin Liter. Mag. 226:
We dedicated an hour or two to a game at the “Totum,” playing either for pins or buttons as the case might be.n.Sc. 1840 D. Sage Memorabilia (1889) 122:
He made a “totum” for me of a bone button-mould, which from its size, colour and rapid revolutions, I thought the most wonderful toy I had ever possessed.Ayr. 1873 A. Aitken Poems 40:
He was aye fond o' wood-making — first he made totums.Ags. 1890 A. N. Simpson Muirside Memories 78:
When the Laird's father and himsel' played at the tottum for crack-nets.s.Sc. 1907 Border Mag. (March 1935) 48:
When he saw the totum spinnin?Sh. 1931 Manson's Sh. Almanac 194:
Whirlin' roond leck a totum.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi.:
Daavitie an' me hid sutten doon tae hae a bit furl at 'e tottum.

2. Transf. a fir-cone (Lnk. 1972).