Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1815-1848, 1928
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BLUNK, Blink, v. Also blonk. “To spoil a thing, to mismanage any business” (Sc. 1808 Jam.). [blʌŋk, blɪŋk]Ayr. 1928 J. Carruthers A Man Beset vii.:
Ye've blunked your business. We'll see what aulder heads can dae wi't.Dmf. 1848 Letters T. Carlyle to his Brother (Marrs 1968) 665:
I must bore along, "stogging and blonking" (as you once defined Corson's ploughing).
Hence blunkit, blinket, “injured by mismanagement, or by some mischievous contrivance” (Sc. 1808 Jam., Gl. Sibbald). Hence also blunker, a bungler, one who spoils everything he meddles with.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. (1817) iii.:
They say Dunbog is nae mair a gentleman than the blunker that's biggit the bonnie house down in the howm.
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