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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

IMPIDENT, adj. Also -iddent, -eddent (Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 283), -itent. Gen.Sc. form of Eng. impudent (Sh., Ork., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s). [′ɪmpɪd(ə)nt, †-pød-, -pyd-, ′ɛm-; also ɪm′pɪdənt]Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 21:
A' leddies that are Phrenologists are very impident, upsettin, bauld amang men.Abd. 1874 N. Maclean Life Nth. Univ. 53:
Maybe she'll thrash you tee, ye impident rascals.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 13:
“Ye auld impident slut,” says Meudie, “hoo dar' ye ca' him a honest man?”Dmf. 1921 J. L. Waugh Heroes 109:
Ye're sae michty sherp and impiddent.Gsw. 1957 J. F. Hendry in Moira Burgess and Hamish Whyte Streets of Stone (1985) 60:
'I'll skivver the liver out o' ye, ye impiddent young deevil! Look at ye, look at your face!'

Hence impident-like, impudently; impid(d)ence, impudence (Sh., Ork., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s).Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes xxxix.:
A pailace o' dirt and impidence and speeritual stink.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) iii.:
Sandy . . . says, rale impident like to the lassie, “Shuve't in ablo the seat.”Dmf. 1920 J. L. Waugh Heroes 86:
His impiddence was affrontin'.Ags. 1990s:
Impiddence: Extreme cheek. Sc. 1994 Herald 22 Jan 12:
Congratulations to Margaret Vaughan on her article (Silly indiscretions and reckless coupling, January 13). I find obscene the manner with which this Government pontificates its pathetic code of double standards. Its arrogance and smugness recalls to mind the old Scots saying "damned impidence".