Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BLECKIN, v.

1. Sc. form of Eng. blacken.

2. To polish (shoes). Cf. blacken. (blecken Bnff.; blaiken Bnff. 2000s). Abd. 1994 Sheena Blackhall in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 136:
She could hear the bath tap rinnin, see her sisters blaiken the laddies dance sheen, the snafite sarks airin afore the fire, the filed dungarees and glaured tacket buits in a bourich b' the stick box. Doonstairs cam the loons - near filled the kitchie, their hairty lauch; shaved, douve, spruced up, tormentin the bik collie till she snapped, an' bein raged for their divilment b' the auld man.