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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.

‡CLAMIHEWIT, CLAMHEWIT, n. Also clamehewit, clamahewit, clammyhowat, clamyhooit, clamahuic, clawnahewat (Abd. 1851 W. Anderson Rhymes 133). [klɑmɪ̢′h(j)uɪt, klɑmə′huɪk]

1. A blow, a drubbing.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley (1817) xlix.:
He hastened to assure Waverley . . . “that he wasna a plack the waur since the fery moment when his honour forbad her to gie him a bit clamhewit wi' her Lochaberaxe.”Bnff.² 1916:
I wiz mad at the impident vratch, bit I ga' 'im a clamahuic 'at he winna forget in a hurry.Abd.(D) 1767 R. Forbes Jnl. from London (1869) 18:
Some o' the chiels might . . . gi' me a clamehewit to snib me frae comin that gate agen.Abd.(D) 1788 J. Skinner Christmass Bawing xvii. in Caled. Mag. 501:
But suddenly frae some curst Wight, A clammyhowat fell'd him Hawf dead that day.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 94:
Sic clamahewits and sic baffs Were never rain'd frae feckless staffs.Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 22:
For frae a stark Lochaber aix He gat a clamihewit, Fu' sair that night.

2. Fig. “A misfortune” (Ags. 1808 Jam.); “an accident or disappointment to anyone” (Abd.⁴ 1928, clamyhooit).

3. A commotion, row; “a hubbub, outcry” (Abd.⁶ 1910, obs.). Known to Fif.¹⁰ 1940.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake, etc. 84:
Hech, but ye're crazed! To kick up sic a clamihewit.