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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PALMIE, n., v. Also -y, pammie, paumie, pawmie, -y, paamie; and reduced form paum (Ork. 1965). [′pɑ:me, ′pǫ:me]

I. n. A stroke with a strap or cane on the palm of the hand as a punishment (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 177, 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). Gen.Sc., obsol.m.Lth. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 95:
Our pammies o'er, syne aff we'd rin, Wi' little knowledge.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter i.:
You taught me to obey the stern order of Pande manum, and endure my pawmies without wincing.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds iv.:
There was na a day I did na get a pawmy but ane, and on it I got twa.Gsw. 1843 Children in Trades Report (2) i 49:
Many boys got “paums”, which happened “gay oft.”Sc. 1854 H. Miller Schools vii.:
The fault was found to attach so equally to both sides, that the same number of palmies, well laid on, were awarded to each.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 58:
Nae brunt-taed tawse o' strong nowte-hide Need they for paumies.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 101:
[The teacher] sent the “taws” whirling down into their midst. . . . They took Fred Graham round the neck, and he at once rose to receive his “pawmies”.Ags. 1921 V. Jacob Bonnie Joann 23:
The dominie's pawmies are little use.Abd. 1931 Abd. Press & Jnl. (15 Jan.):
“Pawmies” was not in ordinary use, though it was known to the older generation; we loons occasionally spoke of “pandies,” but more often of “licks wi' the tag.”Dmb. 1964 Weekly Scotsman (22 Oct.) 2:
We used to call strokes on the hand with the strap palmies.

II. v. To chastise on the palm of the hand, to administer palmies (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1826 Scots Mag. (April) 415:
“Ye maun ha'e your weekly dues, so haud out your luif;” and poor Bob was palmied.Gsw. 1843 Tait's Mag. (May) 313:
[I] got well pawmied by the probationer for not knowing one word of my lessons.Rnf. 1920 J. Donald Greenock Charact. 13:
For ordinary punishments he used a short, thick cane, slightly burnt at each end; more serious offenders he “palmied” with a longer and thinner weapon which inflicted distinctly more acute pain.Gsw. 1985 Anna Blair Tea at Miss Cranston's 164:
...the only Heidie who ever palmied the compiler of this book. Edb. 1992:
The heidmaister never ever palmied me...