Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

BLUNDERBUSH, n. Sc. form of Eng. blunderbuss, a short heavy flintlock gun with a wide bore at the muzzle. This form was used in Eng. in 17th cent. but examples in N.E.D. indicate that only blunderbuss was used from 1774 onwards. [′blʌndərbʌʃ Sc.; ′blʌnərbʌʃ Kcb.]Sc. 1886 R.L. Stevenson Kidnapped xxix.; Abd.22 1935:
I have a blunderbush.
Kcb. 1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xviii.:
Ye micht possibly hae juiked the blunderbush and gotten time to pit in a word to satisfy your kittle honour. attrib.
Bnff. 1716 in W. Cramond Annals Banff (1891) I. 118:
An Dannish aix, Blunderbush gun, a gun and a partisan.

[Adapted from Du. donderbus with same meaning, from donder, thunder + bus, gun (orig. box, tube); perverted in form after blunder (N.E.D.). For change of ss to sh, see P.L.D. § 67.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Blunderbush n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 23 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/blunderbush>

3637

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: