Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BLACK PETER, n.
1. A portmanteau.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. xxviii.:
Desired one of the lads “to hand in the black Peter.”
2. “An old-fashioned iron lamp also called an eelie or uilie dolly” (Bnff.2 1934).Abd.(D) 1903 W. Watson Glimpses o' Auld Lang Syne 90:
While the fir can'le did duty for a lamp or tallow candle, it was often used as an auxiliary to the Black Peter lamp.
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"Black Peter n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/black_peter>
