Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1887
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MERCURY, n. Also Sc. form marc(u)ry.
Sc. usages. [′mɑrk(ə)re]
1. In plant names: (1) mercury doken, the mercury goosefoot, Chenopodium Bonus Henricus (Kcd. 1825 Jam. s.v. smear-doken). See also Docken; (2) mercury leaf, dog's mercury, Mercurialis perennis (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.); (3) Scotch mercury, the purple foxglove, Digitalis purpurea (Bwk. 1853 G. Johnston Botany E. Borders 157); (4) wild mercury, id. (Ib.).
2. A barometer (ne.Sc. 1962, marcury).Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 217:
I'll go an' see what the marc'ry says till't the day.
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"Mercury n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mercury>
