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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WHIPPITIE-, n. Also -ity, -ety, whuppity, -etie. Only in combs.: 1. whuppity-scoorie, also -stoorie (by confusion with 2.), a traditional custom among young people in Lanark celebrated on 1 March (see quots.) (Lnk. 1974); 2. Whippitie-Stourie, prop.n., a kind of fairy or brownie, roughly the equivalent of Rumpelstiltskin (see R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1892) pp. 72–77); hence by transf. a light-footed nimble person (Fif., Dmb. 1974). Also attrib.1. Lnk. 1903 R. Ford Children's Rhymes 85:
“Whuppity scoorie,” a game peculiar to Lanark, and to the boys of Lanark, and played only once a year.Lnk. 1909 Scotsman (2 March) 7:
The ancient honoured custom known as “Whuppity Scoorie” was celebrated by the youth of Lanark last night, and was witnessed by a crowd of several hundred people. The origin of the custom is unknown, but is generally supposed to herald in the entrance of spring. From the months of October to February the town bell in the steeple is not tolled at six o'clock in the evening, but during the other months it rings at that hour daily. On the first day of March, when the bell is rung for the first time after its five months' silence, the boys of the town congregate at the Cross with a bonnet to which a piece of string is attached, and so soon as the peal of the bell rings out, the parish church is walked round three times, and thereafter a dash is made to meet the boys of New Lanark. On their meeting there is a stand-up fight, the weapons used being the stringed bonnets.Lnk. 1972 Sunday Post (27 Feb.) 2:
Lanark's ancient ritual of “Whuppity Scoorie,” held on Thursday. . . . The ceremony calls for youngsters to run round the old parish church swinging paper balls on string.2. Sc. 1823 Scott Letters (Cent. Ed.) VIII. 56:
She is quite the fairy of our Nursery-tale the Whippity Stourie, if you remember such a sprite who came flying in through the window to work all sorts of marvels.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce III. ix.:
Like the Whippitie-stourie, shangie, shan-chinned, short-hoggers elf that ye are.Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 224:
The likes o' me is na fit to tye the warst shoe-strings o' the heich and mighty princess, Whuppity Stoorie!Lnk. 1910 C. Fraser Glengonnar 97:
The minister at the tap o' the glen, a rale whippitie stourie o' a cratur'.m.Sc. 1950 O. Douglas Farewell to Priorsford 68:
I've never seen a fairy, though I've one of my own at home. Her name's Whuppetie Stourie, and she lives in the nursery chimney.