Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1795-1828
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
LOCKERBIE, prop. n. Also Lockerby. The name of a town in Dumfriesshire; in combs. Lockerbie lick, — wipe, a gash or wound in the face (see quots.). Hist. [′lɔkərbi]Dmf. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 IX. 425:
A great number … hurt on the face during the fight. Hence the common saying, "A Lockerbie lick".Sc. 1811 Farmer's Mag. (June) 157:
It was the above Sir George Maxwell who got what was called a Lockerby wipe, viz. one side of his face laid flat on his shoulder, in an engagement with the Johnstones of this place.Dmf. 1828 Scott Tales Grandfather xxxvii.:
The Maxwells and the confederated barons suffered grievously in the retreat [from the battle of Dryfe Sands, 1593] — many were overtaken in the streets of Lockerby, and cut down or slashed in the face by the pursuers; a kind of blow, which to this day is called in that country a "Lockerby lick."
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Lockerbie prop. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lockerbie>
