Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1928-1992
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WALTAM, n. Also wall-tam, wull-tam, and misprinted waltan (Abd. 1965 H. Diack Village on Don 136). Gen. in pl., a pair of leather straps with buckles worn by farm-workers, tied on over the trousers just below the knee, with the aims of keeping the trouser-legs out of the mud, preventing dust from blowing up the legs and providing freedom of movement for bending, etc. (Abd. 1909; Abd., Kcd., Ags. 1921 T.S.D.C.; ne., em.Sc. (a) 1973). [′wɑl′tɑm]Abd. 1928 P. Grey Making of a King 13:
The souter cud gi'e ye a pair o' waltams.Kcd., Ags. 1940 Scotsman (22 April) 6:
“Wulltams” or waltams are narrow leather straps, fastened with a buckle — string is a makeshift. They are worn with the trousers pulled up and pouched over them.Abd. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 13:
Wi' wall-tams wuppit roon his moleskin breeks.Ags. 1958 People's Jnl. (5 April):
His wull-tams tipped wi' siller studs.Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 236:
With the buckles on his wall-tams shining like new silver.
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"Waltam n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/waltam>
