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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.

KEEVEE, n., adj. Also keevie, -y, kevee, quivvy. [′ki:′vi:]

I. n. Attention, alertness, vigilance. Gen. in phr. on the kevee, on the alert or look-out, in high spirits, worked up, having a bee in one's bonnet (Slg. 1825 Jam.; Abd., Ags., Lth., Ayr., Kcb. 1959; Uls. 1970s; Sh., Bnff., Ayr. 2000s).Slk. 1843 W. Crozier Cottage Muse (1847) 56:
If good Mess John look o'er his nest, In haly keevy, Wi' the warst words that he's posses't, He'll rail an' deave ye.em.Sc. 1912 W. Cuthbertson Dykeside Folk 177:
Ye get the picters dune for ye, . . . an' then you staun' aside them wi' yer keevie on the grund, an' wait for the bawbees.Abd.⁹ 1942:
Sandy wis fairly on the kevee the nicht, dancin' a'maist his ain hicht.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxx.:
A wis o' the quivvy a' the time 'e Sairjin wis i' the hoose. Sc. 2003 Scots Tung Wittins 116 Jul :
Uphauders o Scots shuid aye be on the kee-vee tae mak shuir that the uiss o Scots as a communication tool in public,... Edb. 2005:
She's aye oan the keevee for a bargain.

II. adj. On the alert or look-out (Lth. 1959).Lnk. 1909 W. Wingate Poems (1919) 68:
He sampled the neeps, wi' the best for himsel', And the warst for his butty, kee-vee at the slap.