Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1853-1934
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LICKERY, n. Also liquory, liquor(a)-. Sc. forms of Eng. liquorice (Sc. 1880 Jam.).
Combs.: 1. liquory knots, the roots of the bitter vetch, Vicia orobus (m.Lth. 1960); 2. lickery-stick, (1) liquorice root, chewed by children as a sweet (Sc. 1880 Jam., wm.Sc. 1960). Also in n.Eng. dial.; (2) the roots of the rest-harrow, Ononis arvensis, the taste of which somewhat resembles liquorice (Rxb. 1876 Science Gossip 39, 1923 Watson W.-B., liquora-).1. Bwk. 1853 G. Johnston Botany E. Borders 57:
School-boys in Berwickshire call the roots liquory-knots, for, when dried, the taste of them is not unlike that of the real liquorice.2. (1) Ayr. 1863 J. Manson Lyrics 333:
To coup a horn an' smoor the smell Wi' ingans, liquoriestick Or carraway.wm.Sc. 1888 Anon. Archie Macnab 120:
I was very fond o' likerystick.w.Sc. 1934 Uncle Tom Mrs. Goudie's Tea-Pairty 40:
Jist a happny's worth o' lickery-stick for the bits o' weans.
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"Lickery n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lickery>
