Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
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.
Quotation dates: 1747, 1812-1993
[0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1]
UNDEEMOUS, adj. Also undeemis, -us, -as, -deimis, -demous; -dömious, -dömeis, -dümi(ou)s, -dümmus (Sh.), -doomis, -dumous (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); ondeemas, oondeemous (Abd.), -domious, -dumis (Sh.); endumous (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); indumious (Sh.). [ʌn′diməs, ən-; Sh. -′døm(j)əs]
1. Extraordinary, enormous, incredible, esp. of size or amount, inconceivably large, immense, incalculable (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; I., ‡ne.Sc. 1973). Also used adv. (Bnff. 1930). Adv. undeemously.n.Sc. 1747 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) II. 218:
Mourn for our undeemus skeith Since Willie's gone.Sc. 1812 The Scotchman 51:
He'll easily see what an undeemous sillar it costs to maintain them.Dmb. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xiv.:
This baird o' mine has grown just undeemously.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
I wudna advise ye to keep up, expeckin' an ondeemas price for 't.Ags. 1894 F. Mackenzie Glenbruar 81:
That's most undemous, but ye are no to hae me sittin' here till the day o' judgment because your cuddy has turned aboot.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ I. ii.:
He's ondeemously glaikit wha min's ither things.Sh. 1924 J. Hunter Sketches 110:
Da cat wis carrin' on sprees wi' da neighbours cats 'at wis maist undumious.Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 19:
Deil tak' this ondeemas hoast.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 59:
The knoll dwinnils intil undeemis nicht
whaur the tint yet aye-seen starn
ferlies the een wi a ghaist o licht. Sc. 1991 T. S. Law in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 32:
a groo-graithit taet
againss the mair groo
o the ondeemas luft,
o the doore orrie erd
in sicna groo border
whaur the nicht
mells a weird wi the bricht Abd. 1993:
E mannie hid a maist ondeemous big mou.
2. Of weather: very rough, wild, boisterous (Sh. 1973).Sh. 1898 Shetland News (7 May):
Da wadder is juist bün indümious.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (24 Dec.):
He's comin' a night at'll be oondömeis.
