Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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CLYPE, Clipe, Cleip, n.² and v.² [kləip]

I. n.

1. "A rather large piece, as a clype of fadge" (n.Ant. 1924 "N. Antrim" in North. Whig (14 Jan.)); "a large cut of meat" (Uls. 1931 "Comber" in North. Whig (7 Dec.) 9/6).Ant. 1892 Ballymena Observer (E.D.D.):
That pig has torn a big clipe oot o' my dress.

2. "An unseemly mass or clot of any liquid, semi-liquid, or soft wet substance; a pendent disordered wet mass" (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 28; Bnff.² 1936). Cf. Clypach, n.² (1). In pl.: sea anemones (Ags. 1960).

3. "Work [performed] in an ungraceful, dirty manner amongst liquid, semi-liquid, or soft substances; walking in an ungraceful, dirty manner" (Ib.). Cf. Clypach, n.² (2).

4. Fig. (1) "an ugly, ill-shaped fellow" (Bch., Mearns 1825 Jam.²; also Abd.¹⁹ 1936); "a person scanty of good manners, who has little in him, as the people say, but what the 'Ram-horn spoon puts'" (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 137, clipe); Curriehill adds: "filthy and most ungracious"; "a greedy person that would lick plates on the sly" (Kcb.⁴ c.1900); †(2) "a drudge" (Abd. 1825 Jam.²). Cf. Sclype.(1) Bnff.² 1943:
Fa wid hae onything t' dae wi' yon muckle ill-faurt clype o' a chiel?Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden xiii.:
The impident cleip; she'll no' do muckle o' a trade, yon smatchet.

II. v.

1. To work or walk in a slovenly manner (Bnff.², Abd.²² 1936). Ppl.adj. clypin', clumsy or dirty at work.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 29:
She geed clypin' up the street wee a basket on her airm.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 29:
That's a fool clypin' trailach o' a dehm. A widna like t' eat faht she macks.

†2. "To act as a drudge" (Abd. 1825 Jam.²).

3. To flap (as of wet and disordered clothing).Bnff.² 1936:
Jean cam' in weet t' the skin, an' her wincey quite [petticoat] clype, clypet aboot her queets wi' a wecht nae ordinar'.