Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

MICHAEL, n. Also Michal, michel(l), and hypocoristic forms myckie, mick(e)y. [′mɪçəl]

1. Michaelmas, the feast of St. Michael, 29th Sept., in combs.: †(1) Michalday, Michaelmas day. Obs. in Eng.: (2) Michael Fair, a fair or market held at Aboyne in Aberdeenshire in October.(1) Abd. 1713 Monymusk Papers (S.H.S.) 189:
For their cutting or destroying of planting or hedges or piteing of green wood, or for kindling of muirburn after the first of March till Michalday inclusive.(2) Abd.² 1933:
We winna win to Bartle fair unless we hae an erran' But we'll win a' to Michael fair fan we get deen the shearin'.Ags. 1941 Cal. Cust. Scot. (Banks) III. 90:
After Michael Fair we had “froh milk” or “vrocht milk” for supper.Abd. 1952 Abd. Press & Jnl. (6 Oct.):
More than 24,000 sheep from the hills and glens of Deeside, Donside and Upper Banffshire will pass through the salering at Aboyne this week, when the annual four-day Michael Fair sales will be the mecca of farmers and flockmasters from a wide area of the North. Michael Fair is one of the oldest of the Scottish “trysts” still surviving. In bygone times it was the converging centre for the herds and flocks driven over the hills to be disposed of before the winter.

2. A term of contempt, applied to a man or woman, appar. orig. connoting a country bumpkin. Also applied to clumsy or badly-made things.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 227:
She's a ticht michael.Bnff. 1893 W. Gregor Dunbar's Poems (S.T.S.) III. 180:
Michell is still used for an untidy, boorish man or woman.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS.:
Wantin' yer aprons made like that, like that Michel . . . That's nae a mason's apron ava.

3. A jocular name for a chamber-pot (Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MS.). Gen.(exc. I. and Cai.)Sc., comb. Michael Daavit (Bnff.¹⁶ 1962), id.; a privy (Cld. 1880 Jam., myckie; m.Sc. 1962). This usage is doubtless a re-formation from mickie, short for micturating (pot).Ayr. 1862 J. Baxter The Kirn 55:
When he gied in aneath the bed, He cowpit o'er the mickey.