Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BLEEM, n. ne.Sc. form of Eng. bloom. See also Blume, n. [blim ne.Sc.]

1. “Bloom” (Mry.¹ 1925); “esp. applied to the yellow blossom of whins gathered by children to dye eggs” (Bnff.² 1935).

2. The potato plant.Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 65:
“He dell'd ip twathry bleems” — he dug up a few potato plants.

3. In pl., “bleems, potato-tops” (Cai.⁴ c.1920).Cai. 1916 J. Mowat Caithness Proverbs 12:
A local worthy, who was contrasting youth and old age, used this figure — “The young spring up in a nicht like mushrooms, and the auld fa awa lek tattie bleems in 'e mildew.”