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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FLEE, n.², v.² Also ‡flie. Gen.Sc. forms and usages of Eng. fly, the insect, a fishing fly, etc.

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Dim. fleeock (Ork. 1887 Jam.; Ork.⁵ 1952). For dirt-flee, see Dirt, n. 4. (7).Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 65:
The government need only bait the line Wi' the prevailing flee, the gowden coin.Ork. 1832 D. Vedder Orcad. Sk. 18:
The world is as round as a cassie, an' gangs whirlin' an' whirlin' round the sun, like a fleeock round the lamp.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings by Robin 10:
The way the bleeze o' a cannel draws in the flees.Kcb. 1911 G. M. Gordon Auld Clay Biggin' 19:
A perfect treat it was til see John cast a saumon flee, ane o' his ain buskin '.Abd.¹ 1929:
Dinna lippen til fillin' her shune, ye may live til a flee fells ye til ye get that, i.e. you will never get that.

Comb.: ¶flee-flicht, adj., extremely flighty, irresponsible, erratic.Fif. 1899 “S. Tytler” Miss Nanse xiii.:
The master would speak to Michle, and Michle, who is flee-flicht even when he is sober, would declare it could be done .

2. Hence, something of little or no value, the least whit, always after a neg. or quasi-neg. (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc. Phr. ocht or flee, a single thing, anything at all. Also in phrs. a flee's ee, a flee-wing, id.Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.T. Misc. (1733) I. 104:
[I] dinna care a single flie For any man's resentment.Ayr. 1788 Burns O, Whistle an' I'll come to ye ii.:
Gang by me as tho' that ye car'd na a flie.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 113:
[Ye] rugs down a' her loops, and she saysna a flee.Sc. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 52:
They sanna get a flee's ee mair than what's in the Testament.Edb. 1851 A. Maclagan Sk. from Nature 156:
Weir didna care a flee for creeds.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxvi.:
There is nae occasion for you to say ocht or flee.Fif. 1894 A. S. Robertson Provost 35:
He didna gie a flee-wing for vegetables.Abd. 1909 J. Tennant Jeannie Jaffray 205:
Ye hivna a pedigree worth a flee.

3. Phr. and combs.: †(1) fleegest, “a piece of cut paper, hung up for attracting flies” (Bwk. 1825 Jam.); (2) fleegirt, a very small quantity of anything, e.g. butter, just “as much as would gird or surround a fly” (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.). See Girth, n.¹; (3) fly cemetery, flee cemetery, flee's cemetery, flies' cemetery, a rich dried-fruit tart with pastry above and below; (4) to lat that flee stick tae (†in) the wa', to pass over that (embarrassing) topic without further comment, to drop that subject. Gen.Sc.(3) Abd. 1984 Scots Magazine Dec :
Other favourites were...fly cemeteries (fruit cakes)....Fif. 1990:
Flee cemetery.Dmb. 1991:
Ye make fly cemeteries wi flaky pastry.Abd. 1991 Aberdeen Evening Express 2 Apr :
Aye, but we spent it on twa sair headies an' a flies' cemetery...Sc. 1997 Edinburgh Evening News 29 Dec 12:
All was forgotten if you surfaced clutching a couple of coins, enough to buy a lucky tatty, a cinnamon stick to smoke or perhaps a fly's cemetery (a slice of fruit cake).Gsw. 2000 Herald 17 Jun 24:
Afternoon and High Teas were a large part of the business, meals we rarely eat today, but in their time a wonderful Scottish institution. Tiered silver cakestands overflowed with French fancies, strawberry tarts, dainty sandwiches and fly cemeteries, while teapots were warmed, cups poured and pinkies pointed skyward.Gsw. 2003 Sunday Herald 28 Dec 12:
The puddings live with me still. The sponge cake topped with jam and coconut, the caramel shortcake, the fly cemetery fruit slice - all of them liberally doused in custard.Edb. 2005:
Ah dinnae like fly cemeteries.(4) Sc. 1757 Smollett The Reprisal (1790) i. ii.:
Let that flie stick i' the wa' — when the dirt's dry it will rub out.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley lxxi.:
O whist, Colonel, for the love o' God! let that flee stick i' the wa'.Slk. c.1827 Hogg Shepherd's Cal. (1874) vi.:
I fancy, callant, we maun let that flee stick to the wa'.Dwn. 1886 W. G. Lyttle Sons of the Sod iv .:
“Weel, weel, let that flee stick tae the wa' jest noo,” replied Ben; “a hae sumthin else tae speak tae ye aboot.”Fif. 1894 J. W. M'Laren Tibbie and Tam 120:
Ay, but poor Baudrons got the blame o't a' the same; hooever, I'll let that flee stick to the wa'.m.Sc. 1988 Archie Cameron Bare Feet, Tackety Boots (1997) 164:
... I went out to Rhodesia and worked on farms there with my son. But they must wait. We'll just let that flea stick to the wa'. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 18:
She'd ower muckle tae dae than trail cauld kail throwe the rikk again - she'd let yon flee stick tae the waa - an aff she'd set tae redd oot the chaumer hoosie fur the new man comin tae bide on the Setterday nicht.

II. v. To fish with a fly as bait (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh.¹⁰ 1952). Vbl.n. fleein.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 92:
Bit feth! sma redd wid fleein mak Withoot da aer o soe.