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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MESSAN, n. Also messen, -in, -on. [′mɛsən]

1. A small pet dog or house dog, as opposed to a dog used for some form of work, a lap-dog (w.Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Voc. 80; Sc. 1808 Jam.); used contemptuously: a mongrel, a cur (Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson; Fif., w.Lth., Ayr., Kcb., Dmf. 1962). Comb. messan-dog, -tyke, id.Sc. 1706 J. Watson Choice Coll. i. 31:
And if I have said ought astray, Which may a Messon's mind dismay.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 349:
We Hounds slew the Hare, quoth the Messan.Ayr. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 17–18:
But wad hae spent an hour caressan, Ev'n wi' a Tinkler-gipsey's messan.Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxx.:
And that they suld dee the death of Walter Cuming of Guiyock, wha hadna as muckle o' him left thegither as would supper a messan-dog.Dmf. 1853 Carlyle in Atlantic Monthly (1898) 685:
On Jane's lap is her wretched little messin-dog “Nero”.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 103:
Ye're aye stickin to that useless messin o' a dog yet.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (24 July):
Da yells o' dee an' da yalkin o' yon messin o' dine.Kcb. 1898 Crockett Standard Bearer 124:
Cowered like a weel-lickit messan tyke.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xiv.:
There is not evidence here to hang a messan dog.

2. A term of contempt applied to human adults signifying lack of stature or dignity (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Rxb. 1915 Jedburgh Gaz. (27 Aug.) 2; Uls.² 1929; w.Lth., wm.Sc., Kcb. 1962; Edb., Gsw. 2000s), or to a child (Ayr., Kcb. 1962).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 115:
Of Poetry the hail Quintessence Thou hast suck'd up, left nae Excrescence To petty Poets, or sic Messens.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xiii.:
Willie Lapstane an' Peter Rozet! Bonnie messans indeed! Ane o' them wi' a bool fit, an' the ither gleyed o' an ee.Kcb. 1897 A. J. Armstrong Robbie Rankine at Exhibition 35:
It's a what, ye atteniwated messin?Dwn. 1901 Northern Whig Ulsterisms:
But he is a pernickitty wee messan, and forby he is very near-be-gone, and as hard as a whinstone.Sc. 1927 Scots Mag. (April) 18:
It hovers near, but aye, when I let grab I mak' a proper messan o' mysel'. Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 45:
messin A small dog or puny person; now used mainly as a mildly insulting name, of the kind adults might use for a child: 'Get out of that bunker ye dirty wee messin!' wm.Sc. 1987 Wallace Robb in Joy Hendry Chapman 50 46:
'Ye dirty wee messin, keep yer snotters tae yersel!'

3. Attrib. applied to an undersized potato.Ork. 1930 Orcadian (13 Feb.):
Ooler, again, is a word that was often applied in Moorland Orcadia to messan or undersized tatties. “Never a tatta hae we thae year bit a few sma' oolers no wirt hintin”.