Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1813
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†BOIKIN, n.1 [′bɔɪkɪn]
1. “A bodkin” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2, Bnff. 1898 E.D.D.). Rnf. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 120:
Since e'er a table he [tailor] could munt Or drive a boikin!
2. A kind of crowbar used for making holes for fence-posts (Ags., Rxb. 1949).
[O.Sc. has boitkin, boykin (Elgin Rec. 1622), boytkin, boitkine, bodkyne, boidkene (D.O.S.T.). In O.Sc. the t forms date from 1503 and the d forms from early 17th cent. Chaueer has boydekyn, boytekyn, a small dagger. Origin obscure.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Boikin n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/boikin_n1>
