Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HULLABALOO, n. Also hulli(e)-, -y-; hal(l)a-, hally-, hallo(w)-, halloo-; hilli(e)-, hilly-, hille-; hollo(w)-; -bal(l)oo, -bal(l)ow, -ballou; -bul(l)oo, -bul(l)ow, -bullie; -beloo, -belew; -paloo, -phallu (Sh.); -bul(l)eerie, hulleeballoo, and shortened forms hall(y)ie (Abd. 1825 Jam.). An uproar, a clamour, a noisy disturbance. Now St.Eng. but orig. from Sc. and n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1762 Smollett Sir L. Greaves (1783) vii.:
I would there was a blister on this plaguy tongue of mine, for making such a hollow-ballow.Sc. 1793 Tam Thrum Look before ye Loup 10:
Whaten a hilly-ballow's this amang ye?Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) xxiv.:
The laughing, daffing, and hullabaloo that they were making.Rxb. 1875 N. Elliott Nellie Macpherson 141:
If the auld man draps in here, there will be a bonnie hullibaleerie.Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums 27:
A terr'ble hullabaloo got up at the ither end of the table.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 27:
I sanna kick up a hulla-baloo aboot Geordie or ony idder body.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 36:
Wi da halapaloo o' da folk, an' da yarmin' o' da yows an' lambs, deil wird could I mak' oot.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 40:
"That's the news deun, an' I herdly hard a word o' id for the hulleeballoo thoo wur all keekin' up. ... "