A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
(Quhim-quhame,) Quhum-quhame, n. Also: whim-, whum- and -wham. [e.m.E. whymwham (a 1529), whim- (1580).] a. ? A trifle, trinket, trifling ornament. b. A fantastic notion. —a. 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 75.
It stall fra peteous Abrahane Ane quhorle and ane quhum quhame a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 196.
A whum whan to a pair of wakeris sheiris Ib. No. 198.
A whim wham for a goos brydelb. 1678 J. Brown Hist. Indulgence (1783) 237.
This is secundum artem violatilizare [sic] densa et densare volatilia: a pretty whimwham good for nothing. Oh a serious solid zealous minister should have been ashamed to have substituted such whity whaties in the place of a plain testimony
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"Quhim-quhame n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/quhim_quhame>
