Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1915-1940
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PENURIOUS, adj. Also perneurious. Sc. form and usages:
1. Peevish, bad-tempered, whining, freq. of a child (Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C. 17; ne.Sc. 1965, perneurious).
2. Attentive to detail, scrupulous, particular, painstaking, fastidious, esp. about food, (ne.Sc. 1921 T.S.D.C. 15; Mry., Bnff., Abd. 1965). Obs. in Eng.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 107:
He's neen penurious ava, peer stock. Fin' he cam', he cudna tak' this, an he cudna tak' that; bit noo he's aye mait hale at diet-time o' day.Abd.15 1940:
Ach, ye're unco pernurious aboot hairs amo' yer kail.
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"Penurious adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 11 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/penurious>
