Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

BELGE, BILCH, BILSH, BILGE, n. and v. [bɛldʒ Abd., Ags., Arg.; bɪldʒ Kcb.; bɪlʃ Dmf., nw.Rxb., Slk.; ′bɛlʃi Lnk.]

1. n. A short, fat person, used also as a term of disrespect.Arg. 1801-1850 Folk Poem in Bk. of Old Castlehill (1921) v.:
He that will not in chorus join A claty belge is he.Lnk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.²:
Bilsh. A short, plump, and thriving person or animal; as “a bilsh o' a callan,” a thickset boy.Kcb. 1933 (per Dmf.¹⁰):
She was a bilge o' a body like her mither.Dmf.¹¹ 1933:
He's a stout bilch o' a man.Slk. 1825 Jam.²:
Bilsh. A little waddling fellow.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales, etc. (1837) III. 214:
I was but a little bilsh of a callant then.

Hence the adj. bilshie (Slk. 1825 Jam.²), bilchy, bilshy, belshie, short, plump, and thriving.Upp.Cld. 1825 Jam.²:
Belshie. Fat and at the same time diminutive.†nw.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 56:
A bilshy lass.Dmf.¹¹ 1933:
A short bilchy body.

2. v.

(1) To protrude, puff out.Bch. 1928 (per Abd.¹⁵):
He belges awfu fin he's in gey gweed binner.Ib.:
He's standin belgin there an' speakin' oot o's breist at a great lick.

(2) To knock up against (from idea of swelling, crowding).Ags. 1821 D. Shaw Humorous Songs and Poems 17:
We stummelt an' belg'd upon ither.