Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GAMMON, n. Also gamon, gammond, -t, gaument; gamo (Ork.).

1. Of a person: the leg, thigh.Edb. a.1730 A. Pennecuik Coll. Sc. Poems (1787) 40:
But you threw up your gammonds in the bed, Before the grace, and lost your maiden-head.
Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 69:
War I to ride to bonny Tweed, Wha ne'er laid gamon o'er a steed Beyont Lusterrick.
Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 12:
Wi' back to side they push . . . While gauments far are shot in To keep their place.
Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings 10:
And never may our Fair, to rakes Throw out a gammon.
Bnff. 1853 Bnffsh. Jnl. (3 May):
Geordie wi' the crookit gamon, Bowie wame, and gruffie paw.
Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 133:
He fand . . . a thra' i' his right gamo.

2. Of an animal: the foot; “often those of pigs, sometimes called petit-toes” (Rxb. 1825 Jam., gammon(t)s). Gen. in pl.

[O.Northern Fr. gambon, ham (Mod.Fr. jambon), from pop. Lat. gamba, hock, older Fr. gambe, leg or shank, Mod.Fr. jambe.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Gammon n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/gammon>

12382

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: