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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.

QUEEM, adj., adv., v. Also queme (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; Lnk. 1935 Bulletin (19 Jan.)); quim (Lnk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.). [kwim]

I. adj. 1. Close- or well-fitting, snug, neat (Lnk., Rxb. 1880 Jam.). Derivs. queemly, adj., “exactly adapted” (Sc. 1902 E.D.D.), queemness, n., an exact fit, perfect adaptation (Sc. 1902 E.D.D.). Fig. in phr. quim and cosh, in close accord, on intimate terms.Sc. 1731 Plain Reasons Presbyt. Dissent 53:
Quim and cosh with them.Lnk. 1820 Scots Mag. (May) 93:
Whan the year grown auld brings winter cauld We flee till our ha's sae queem.Lnk. 1863 J. Hamilton Poems 174:
Yer wee shilpt weanie's a pityfu' prufe That yer bosom's as dry an' as queem as my lufe.Sc. 1879 P. H. Waddell Isaiah lvii. 7:
On a heigh eneugh hill, yer bed ye made queem.

2. Fig., prim, “affectedly nice” (Uls. a.1870 W. Lutton Montiaghisms (1924) 32), over-fastidious, “perjink”.

3. Smooth, calm, tranquil. Hence queemly, adv., smoothly (Ib.).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 7, 391:
At length his restless pulse mair queem grew . . . The gled glides queemly alang.

II. adv. 1. Exactly, neatly, snugly (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis).

2. Smoothly, pleasantly, without snags or hitches.Sc. 1879 P. H. Waddell Isaiah xxx. 10:
Speak till us queem.Kcb.⁴ 1900:
Said of an engine “She's rinnin' as queem as silk.”

III. v. 1. intr. To fit snugly, fall into place, coincide with (Lnk. 1880 Jam.). Also used fig. Also trans. to fit exactly with. Gsw. 1991 Maud Devine in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 124:
See
ma cairn
isni a pyramid
symmetrical hewed wurld wunner
desert tomb fur Pharaoh's whigmaleeries
ilka
bloak bevelled
yin queemin tother
airless sunless nae sneck
fri apex ti beddin-stane

2. tr. To make (something) fit, fall into place. Deriv. queemer, n., a person skilled in fitting joints, etc., a joiner (Cld. 1825 Jam.); fig. a toady, lickspittle, a “yes-man” (Cld. 1880 Jam.).Lnk. 1825 Jam.:
To queem the mortice, or joint in wood.

3. To smooth out (Lnk. 1935 Bulletin (9 Jan.)).