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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COOM, Coomb, Cumb, Coum, Cowm, Combe, n.² [kum]

†1. The wooden frame on which an arch is built (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Lth. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XVI. 8); (see also Scott quot.); an arch or vault.Sc. 1753 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 422/1:
A new-finished arch, from which the cumb or timber frame had been taken away.Sc. 1754 James Macaulay The Classical Country House in Scotland (1987) 124:
All Scaffolding, Gangways, Cooms for Arches, Mortar Hods, Mortar Tubs, Barrows, tresses, etc.Sc. 1822 Scott Letters (1934) VII. 149:
There will be no difficulty in erecting a scaffolding [in Melrose Abbey ruins] strong eno to support the weight of an interior arch or coom as we call it of wood.Inv. 1716 Inv. Session Rec. (Mitchell) 77:
The said day the glovers presented a petition craveing that the Coum above Drakies' seat, . . . might be removed.Ags. a.1829 A. Balfour Weeds and Wildflowers (1830) 173:
See, there's the coom o' the laird's new brig down the burn!Bwk. 1756 G. Ridpath Diary (S.H.S. 1922) 98:
They had finished the work of removing the coomb [of Kelso bridge].

Hence coomed, vaulted, arched.Sc. 1723 W. Macfarlane Geog. Coll. (S.H.S.) I. 390:
Ewes has 3 arches, the other two, each, one large arch all of stone and well ledged and cowm'd.Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Sc. Mining Terms 20:
The roof of a mine or roadway is said to be coomed when it is arch shaped.

†2. “The lid of a coffin, from its being arched” (Fif., Rxb. 1825 Jam.²). See R. Chambers Domest. Annals III. 501. Used as a n.pl. in quot.Sc. 1724 R. Chambers Book of Days I. 824:
Some surgeon apprentices rudely . . . broke down part of the cooms, or sloping roof of the coffin.

3. “A sloping part of a ceiling” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; also Abd.²², Lnl.¹ 1937). Also attrib. with ceiling.Sc. 1936 St Andrews Cit. (3 Oct.) 4/5:
An attic room with combe ceiling.

Hence coomed, coombed, “of a ceiling: sloping” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). em.Sc. 1976 Eileen Dunlop A Flute in Mayferry Street (1987) 141:
... helping Jake and Philip to wrestle with the problems of rebuilding the housebed in a cottage with a coombed ceiling.