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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

FORCIE, adj. Also forc(e)y. [′forse]

1. Vigorous, active, forceful, hustling, impetuous (Sh., ne.Sc., Ags. 1953; Abd. 1993).n.Sc. 1874 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 612:
Another farmer wanted more “forcy” preaching.Bnff. 1887 W. M. Philip Covedale xvi.:
I'm nae sae forcy as I ance was.Abd. 1925 R. L. Cassie Gangrel Muse 41:
The aik, the ash, the elm are bare, Bit forcie buds swall late an' ear'.Abd. 1928 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (20 Sept.):
I thocht a forcie man like you wid 'a' made a start or noo.Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 28:
Gin ye werena jist sae forcey ye'd win a' the seener free.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 22:
Some o's, ye'll min', gey forcey, cuttit ower green,
An syne the widder broke.

2. Of weather: warm and dry, propitious for crops, esp. in harvest, tending to speed growth or ripening (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 52; ne.Sc. 1953).Abd. 1877 W. Alexander Rural Life 112:
On a “forcy” leading day in harvest, he had gone to the stackyard.Abd. 1928 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (18 Oct.):
We cud be weel on wi' the hairst gin we'd gotten mair forcie widder.Abd. 1952 Huntly Express (26 March):
The flat fields of clay or peat soil have not been sufficiently dry to be sown, there being few rale forcey days.