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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.

POCKET, n. Also pockad (Cai. 1929 John o' Groat Jnl. (20 Dec.)); pocky (Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1863) II. 27); poackit, poakit.

Sc. forms of Eng. pocket.Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 2:
Hey, heid-the-baw. Lea the actin tae the actors. How miny poackits hiv you goat? Less a that.Slg. 1991 Janet Paisley in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 130:
Well - maybe that'll stoap her actin
like it's cummin oot o her poakit.

Sc. forms and usages in combs. and phr.; 1. pocket-fish, the cuttle-fish, Sepia officinalis; 2. pocket-napkin, -naipkin, -nepkin a pocket handkerchief. See Naipkin; 3. to break an egg in another's pocket, to frustrate another's well-laid scheme, disappoint someone of an anticipated prize.1. Edb. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XVIII. 375:
Sometimes the cuttle fish (sepio soligo [sic] of Linnaeus), and what the Scots fishermen denominaminate the pocket or hoze fish are caught upon the shore.2. s.Sc. 1836 Wilson's Tales of the Borders II. 275:
Stuffing his pocket napkin into his mouth, to keep the dust oot.Ags. 1860 A. Whamond James Tacket xi.:
Tears . . . she would have thought of as draps o' saut water, an' the shunner dichtet aff wi' a pocket napkin the better.Abd. 1875 G. MacDonald Malcolm I. xvi.:
“I wiss ye wad len' me yer pocket-nepkin to row't in.” . . . Florimel gave him her handkerchief.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xii.:
Rinning to fetch your ain sword like a doggie with a pocket-napkin.Gsw. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie i.:
He was carryin' something roond-shaped in his pocket-naipkin.Dmf. 1921 J. L. Waugh Heroes 69:
A new weeshen pocket-napkin every day o' his life.3. Fif. 1760 Session Papers, Farmer v. Myles (12 Jan.) 20:
I may happen to break an Egg in their Pocket yet.