Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1725-1728, 1793-1934
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ETTERCAP, n. Also †ethercap; †ettercoup; et(t)erkap, edercap (I.Sc.); †eddercap. See Nettercap, Attercap, Ather-cap.
1. A spider (w.Sc. 1741 A. Macdonald Galick Vocab. 71, eddercap; Sc. 1825 Jam.2; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl.; Per. 1915, Ayr. 1923 Wilson; Sh., Ork., Cai., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Knr., w.Lth. 1945).Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 166:
In some instances the ettercap or spider is still favourably looked upon.Dmf. 1899 J. Shaw in Country Schoolmaster (ed. Wallace) 326:
As mad's an ettercap.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 296:
The short-legged spider of the spider-web was called an etterkap.ne.Sc. 1921 J. Wight in Swatches 10:
The irrepressible laddie, like Robbie Breece's ettercap, aye seemed tae be in a fair wey tae succeed aifter mony failers!Ags. 1934 H. B. Cruickshank Up the Noran Water 17:
Ettercap, ettercap, Spinnin' your threid, Midges for denner an' Flees for your breid.
Hence ettercap wheel, a vertical type of spinning wheel (Ork.1 1949).
2. An ant (Ayr.4 1928).Sc. 1898 E.D.D. (s.v. Attercop):
I know the ant as the ettercap. A nest o' ettercaps.
3. Fig. A bad-tempered, spiteful person, applied esp. to one of small stature or curious appearance (Sc. 1825 Jam.2, 1895 "N. Roy" Horseman's Word xxi., ettercoup; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl.; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. of Burns; Sh., Bnff., Abd., Ags. 1950).Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shepherd Act IV. Sc. i. in Poems (1728):
'Tis dafter like to thole An Ether-cap, like him, to blaw the Coal.Sc. 1793 "Tam Thrum" Look before ye Loup 27:
But Charles, you wou'd undervalue poor fo'k; you wou'd ca' us, like that ettercap Burke, the swinish multitude.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie III. xxvi.:
This misleart aunty of yours has been garring me trow that ye're a cross-grained ettercap like hersel.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxiii.:
"Fat!" exclaimed Jonathan Tawse, "tell me that that ettercap, Gushetneuk's, been thratenin' that the faces o' some o' them'll be seen here ere lang?"Sc. 1896 Stevenson Weir of Hermiston vii.:
Here, ettercap! Ye'll have to wait on yon Innes!Kcb. 1896 S. R. Crockett Grey Man xxiii.:
Wild ettercap as she was, I now counted Nell Kennedy almost the only friend I had left.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xiii.:
And yon thrawn ettercap frae Bold ridin' wi' the sodgers and praisin' the Lord when anither waefu' creature perishes.
Hence ¶ethercapite, ppl.adj., venomously spiteful.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems II. 167:
Sae ye may craw and clap your Wings, And smile at Ether-capite Stings With careless Pride.
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"Ettercap n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/ettercap>
