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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.

MIDGIE, midgey, n. An ashpit, a dump, a midden (Gsw. 1962), a rubbish bin. Gsw. 1964 George Friel The Boy who Wanted Peace (1985) 78:
"Two ten-shilling notes, eh? Now where the hell did you get two ten-shilling notes?" Noddy said he had found them in a midgie in Ossian Street. Gsw. 1977 Jimmy Boyle A Sense of Freedom 8-9:
All the buildings were identical, but of the fifty or so close-mouths, three were different because the people in them were "toffs", and in a way there was a resentment even amongst the kids from our closes against those who stayed in them, to such an extent that we wouldn't even rake their midgies for "lucks". Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 45:
midgie A dustbin or, in tenements, the shelter in the back court where these are kept: 'Sling that aul thing in the midgie.'

Combs. (1) luckie-midgie, one full of treasure trove for rummaging children (Gsw. 1962); (2) midgie man, (i) a refuse collector; (ii) = midgie-raker; (3) midgie-motor, a refuse collector's lorry; (4) midgie-raker, a person who searches dustbins for items of value. Also back-formation midgie-rake to search through dustbins. (2)(i)Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 73:
A MIDGIE MAN (Refuse Collector)Gsw. 1987 James Kelman Greyhound for Breakfast (1988) 1:
The path by the side of the burn was deep in slimy leaves, decaying leaves, approaching that physical state where they were set to be reclaimed by the earth, unless perhaps along came the midgie men and they shovelled it all up and dumped it into the midgie motor then on to the rubbish dump ... (2)(ii)Gsw. 1985 Anna Blair Tea at Miss Cranston's 70:
We used to stand at the window and watch the midgey-men wi' their torches or their candles, late at night, rakin' through the rubbish tryin' to find somethin' worth takin'. I cannae think what though, for never a thing went out of most houses that was worth a brass bawbee.(3)Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 45:
midgie A dustbin or, in tenements, the shelter in the back court where thse are kept: 'Sling that aul thing in the midgie.' A midgie-man is a dustman and a bin-lorry is a midgie-motor.Gsw. 1987 James Kelman Greyhound for Breakfast (1988) 1:
The path by the side of the burn was deep in slimy leaves, decaying leaves, approaching that physical state where they were set to be reclaimed by the earth, unless perhaps along came the midgie men and they shovelled it all up and dumped it into the midgie motor then on to the rubbish dump where they would sprinkle aboard paraffin and so on and so forth till the day of judgement.(4)Gsw. 1964 George Friel The Boy who Wanted Peace (1985) 71:
The school was full of midgie-rakers, petty thieves, pickpockets, raiders of their mother's lean purse.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 45:
midgie A dustbin or, in tenements, the shelter in the back court where these are kept: 'Sling that aul thing in the midgie.' A midgie-raker is a tramp who combs through dustbins for things of value to him.Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 40:
The weans'r oot midgie rakin'. The kids are off in search of expensive items other people have discarded in their dustbins.Gsw. 1992 Herald 27 Jun :
While it is tempting to think of a blocked [Harold] Robbins midgie-raking at Mario Puzo's for rejected character sketches, ...Gsw. 1997 Herald 1 Aug :
... his family has a long and proud tradition of hawking and midgie-raking at Paddy's market ...