Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1818-1825, 1948
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BACK-COME, -COMING, n.
1. A return.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxxiv.:
I thought the chield Morris looked devilish queer when I determined he should remain a wad, or hostage, for my safe back-coming.Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
An ill back-come, an unfortunate return.
2. Recrimination, an expression of regret or disapproval (I.Sc., Per., m.Lth. 1975). 1948 m.Lth.1 :
Recently my father agreed with a course of action I suggested and added "an' then there wid be nae backcomins."
3. In Mining: the working out [i.e. backwards] towards the shaft, of the pillars in stoop-and-room working (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 7). Cf. Back-splinting.
[O.Sc. bak-cuming, vbl.n., 16th cent., return.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Back-come n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/backcome>
