Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1821-1925
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KIP, v.3, n.2
I. v. To play truant from school (Lth. 1808 Jam.; Bnff.12 1850; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; em.Sc.(a), m.Lth., Rxb. 1960). Vbl.n. kippin.Edb. 1821 D. Haggart Life 3:
I do not recollect that I ever lost my place for want of my lessons, but I was sometimes turned down for kipping.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie vii.:
Thy grannie's paiks, the maister's whippin', Can never mend thy gait o' kippin. . . . The lang hungry kippins, the bawbees aye short.Sc. 1894 Stevenson Letters (1924) V. 150:
A boy who was a very good boy, and went to Sunday Schule, and one day kipped from it.
II. n. A truant, in phr.: to play (the) kip, to play truant (Ags., Edb. 1910; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ayr.4 1928; Slg., Fif., Edb. 1960).Edb. 1890 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) XIII. 149:
Jenny or Joe had been skulkin' Their lessons, or playing the “kip.”wm.Sc. 1903 S. Macplowter Mrs McCraw 30:
Ye've been playin' the kip, hae ye? A'll kipper ye whan A gets ye hame.Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 110:
But the ither two gentlemen had played the kip; they were gey nervish-like.
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"Kip v.3, n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 8 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/kip_v3_n2>
