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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MISCA, v., n. Also miscaa, -cau, -caw. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. miscall. See P.L.D. § . 78.1. [mɪs′kɑ:, ′kǫ:]

I. v. 1. To speak ill of, to slander, to disparage (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 114; Cai. 1903 E.D.D.). Gen.Sc., now only dial. in Eng. Freq. with for = Eng. as. Vbl.n. †miscauing, disparaging, abusing.Slg. 1705 Trans. Slg. Nat. Hist. Soc. (1925) 38:
Walter Paterson fined in four pounds Scots for his miscaving to his deacon.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shep. (S.T.S.) 189:
This waefu' chance of gentle blood, foul fa't, I wat I canna sair enough misca't.Ayr. 1789 Burns Grose's Peregr. x.:
Whae'er o' thee shall ill suppose, They sair misca' thee.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xvii.:
O dinna misca' him, sir, that never misca'd you!Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 6:
Ne'er misca' a Gordon in the raws o' Strathbogie.Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 113:
A' her lang life been misca'ed an' abused.Abd. 1916 Abd. Book-Lover II. (May) 22:
I'm a Scot! an' I carena wha kens it; Tho' mony the name wad misca'.wm.Sc. 1996 Robin Jenkins Lunderston Tales 126:
'Don't daur miscall the Queen to me, Billy McShane.'

2. To scold, address abusively, denounce, rail at, chide (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 114). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. i.:
Misca'd me first, then bade me hound my Dog To wear up three waff Ews stray'd on the Bog.Abd. 1754 R. Forbes Journal 29:
They began to misca ane anither like kail-wives.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 125:
She jaw'd them, misca'd them For clashin', claikin' haips.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xiv.:
She . . . miscawed me for a froward northern tyke.Dmb. 1844 W. Cross Disruption v.:
If she hadna had the sense to misca' me weel.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders v.:
Misca' them for a' the sornin' tinklers — the lazy, ill-contrivin' loons i' the country.Abd. 1923 J. R. Imray Village Roupie 37:
I'll say nae mair, I'll ne'er again misca' ye.

3. To mispronounce a word (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 114; Sc. 1880 Jam.; Sh., Abd., Ags., w.Lth., Lnk., Kcb., Dmf. 1963). Hence miscaer, one who frequently mispronounces words as he reads. Also in Eng. dial.Slk. 1818 Hogg Tales (1874) 220:
He misca's a' the words, and ca's the streamers the Roara Boriawlis.Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy Geordie Chalmers 155:
I hae seen him gar the bluid come like water frae a spoot, in ye had miscaw'd but ae word.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin iii.:
My faither yokit to the carritches, an' scrieved them aff loof withoot ance makin' a stammer, or misca'in a single word.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 114:
He's an unco miscaer fin he reads: he's deein' nae gueede at a' at the squeel.Cai. 1891 D. Stephen Gleanings 71:
James, ye're misca'in', ye're no' reading that richt.

II. n. A scolding, a torrent of abuse.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 85:
“Nae de'il was in my mind ava,” Quo' John, “an' why this sair misca'?”