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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1705-1721, 1838-1923

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BEDDY, BEDDIE, adj.

1. Asking for, desirous of strange things; greedy, covetous.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 75:
Breeding wives are aye beddie. (Note, covetous of some silly things.)
Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
"You're very beddy," saucy at one's food, also greedy, covetous.

2. Forward, meddling, rude.Lnk. 1838 J. Morrison M'Ilwham Papers Letter i. 11:
He's a beddy body, wi' a terrible gift o' the gab.
Uls. 1923 J. Logan Ulster in the X-Rays, (2nd ed.) vi.:
I'll larn ye not to be beddy.

3. Eager to seize prey.Sc. a.1706 W. Hamilton Bonny Heck in J. Watson Choice Collection (1869) 70:
But if my Puppies ance were ready, . . . They'l be baith Cliver, Keen, and Beddy.

[Perhaps cogn. with O.E. biddan, to pray, ask for, gebed (adj. *gebedig), a prayer, and bedhūs, a house of prayer.]

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"Beddy adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 4 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/beddy>

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