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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MUTTON, n. Sc. usages in combs. and phr.: 1. mutton-bouk, the carcase of a sheep. See Bouk; 2. mutton eater, a nickname for a native of Duncansby parish in Cai., as living on the mutton of the native Keerie sheep (Cai. 1972 Caithness Bk. (Omand) 84); 3. mutton-ham, a leg of mutton cured in the same way as ham; 4. mutton-kail, broth made with mutton. See Kail, n., 3.; 5. mutton-tee, = 3. (Sh. 1866 Edm.Gl.). See Thie; 6. sic a mutton's on a hen!, an exclamation expressive of an incongruous or incredible situation (Ork. 1963).1. Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. II. i.:
Our meikle Pot that scads the Whey put on, A Mutton-bouk to boil.3. m.Lth. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 22:
Porter, beef or mutton ham.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie lxxxviii.:
The shackle-bane o' a mutton-ham.Abd. 1881 W. Paul Past & Present 128:
Ye'll get a slicy o' a dishy nicey, An' a sweety wiggy, an' a mutton ham.Lnk. 1895 W. Fraser Whaups 221:
The kitchen ceiling darkened with a goodly array of mutton-hams.Kcb. 1895 Crockett Moss-Hags xlvi.:
He rode past, bung full of brandy and good mutton ham.4. Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 120:
Ait-cakes an' mutton-kail.6. Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick iii.:
Eppie could hardly repress her wonderment that a ploughman of this unusual character should land at Endriggs. “Eh, Losh fie,” she cried, “sic a mutton's on a hen as 'e aal folk eest tae say.”