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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SODGER, n., v. Also soger (Sc. 1736 D. Warrand Culloden Papers (1927) III. 113, Ayr. 1796 Burns Election Ball. iv. iv.; Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xvi.), sodjer (Sc. 1896 Stevenson W. of Hermiston iii.), sodjir; sojer (Wgt. 1717 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) I. 402), sojor (Fif. 1709 A. Laing Lindores (1876) 285), sojour (Sc. 1708 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 57). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. soldier (Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality iv.; Kcb. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet iv.). [′sodʒər]

 Sc. forms. Also attrib. wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 100:
" ... He's awa' to the sojers at Irvine."
Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 35:
Fuck that fur a game o sojerz. Whit aboot thaim Gestapo.
Gsw. 1991 John Burrowes Mother Glasgow 183:
'And Cathie, that's his mother like, wants us to look after him for a wee while. Ye see, they're wanting to arrest him for ...' and the voice disappeared again as she once more said the words without sound, '...attacking a sojer.'
Sc. 1991 T. S. Law in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 31:
alang the stoorie pad
traiks
the lane sodger lad.
Edb. 1995 Irvine Welsh Marabou Stork Nightmares (1996) 164:
Not only would it have been something else to be self-conscious about, I would have looked the spit of my auld boy.
Fuck that for a game ay sodjirs.
I got contact lenses fitted.
m.Sc. 1996 John Murray Aspen 3:
an yer souple wuid's unriven
bi the stoun o lang nails driven
bi the dunt o the sodger's mells.
w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 59:
Hint o a swagger in thir step,
aa Scottish sodgers hae it
an, 'hint the pipes wi bags o pep,
unconsciously display it.

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Sc. combs. and phr.: (1) sappy soldiers, a game (see quot.); (2) sodger-clad but major-mindit, having a strong sense of pride and self-respect in spite of humble position, gen. used in a complimentary sense (Abd., Ags., Slg. 1921 T.S.D.C.; Fif. 1935; ne.Sc. 1971); (3) sodger's bite, an especially large bite; (4) sodger's tobacco, grey lichen from birch trees (Kcd. 1971); (5) sodger-thee'd, having little or no money in one's pocket (Sc. 1825 Jam.). See Thee, n. Also attrib. as in Eng., as sodger-billie, -body, -folk, etc.(1) Abd. 1969 I. & P. Opie Children's Games 74:
The game usually begins with the players standing in a small circle with their feet apart touching the feet of their neighbours on either side. One player bounces the ball in the middle of the circle, and as soon as the ball rolls under somebody's legs, that player picks it up while the rest run. Staying where he is he throws the ball at someone, trying to hit him. Thereafter anyone near the ball can pick it up and fling it at any other player, but a person must not move with the ball in his hand. The other players can run where they like within bounds. Each person has three lives, and may continue in the game until he has been hit a third time, when he usually has to stand aside until only one player is left, who starts the next game.
(2) Dmf. 1920 J. L. Waugh Heroes 89:
There's mony a man sodger-cled, that's major-minded.
m.Sc. 1950 O. Douglas Farewell to Priorsford 142:
A favourite saying of “Grannie's” was “I may be sodger cled, but I'm major-minded.”
(3) Lnk. 1885 W. Gordon Pyotshaw 116:
Trout are jist like ither folk, greedy and fond o' sodger's bites.
(4) Abd. 1962 H. Diack Boy in Village 85:
Slater Auld mixed “sodger's tobacco” with whatever brand of real tobacco he smoked.

2. A nickname for a native of Ceres in Fife (Fif. 1971).Fif. 1937 Scotsman (1 Feb.):
For centuries the Ceres descendants of the Bannockburn warriors worthily upheld the fighting qualities of their ancestors, and were justly proud of the particular distinction of being classified as “Ceres Sodgers.”

3. As a plant-name: (1) gen. in pl.: the stem and flower-head of the plantain, esp. the ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata (Clc., Dmf. 1886 B. and H. 441; Abd. 1956 Abd. Press and Jnl. (12 July); Ork., n.Sc., em. and wm.Sc., s.Sc. 1971). Also in Eng. dial. Hence, in pl., a game played with the stems, see quots. and cf. Fechter, v., 2. Also in Eng. dial.; (2) in pl.: roughish meadow-grass, Poa trivialis; (3) the common red poppy, Papaver rhaeas. Also in Eng. dial.; (4) in combs.: (i) sodger's bluid, sorrel, Rumex acetosa (Ags. 1971); (ii) sodger's buttons, (a) the burs or flower-heads of the burdock, Arctium lappa (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Also in Eng. dial.; (b) water-avens, Geum rivale (Ib.; Lnk. 1971); (c) the burnet-leaved rose, Rosa spinosissima (Kcb. 1896 Garden Wk. (New Ser. (CXIV. 111); (iii) sodger's feather, the plant honesty, Lunaria biennis (sw.Sc. Ib.); (iv) sodger's gartens, the ribbon-weed alga (Mry. 1975). See Sailor; (v) soldier's tappie, the ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata (Ags. 1886 B. and H. 441).(1) Sc. 1894 Trans. Highl. Soc. VI. 55:
This stalk [of ribwort], and the spike of flowers at its end, is the part used for the game of “sodgers” and “cocks.”
Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 32:
Redding his pipe with a “sodger.”
Cai. 1904 E.D.D.:
Two children take an equal number of stalks. One holds a stalk horizontally, and the other strikes it with a stalk. They strike in turn until one of the parties has got the heads knocked off all his ‘sodgers,' when of course he loses the battle.
Ork. 1951:
The flower stems of rib grass are known here as “sodgers” from a game where two players strike them together till one breaks.
Bnff. 1968 Banffshire Advert. (20 June) 8:
“Playing at soldiers?” “Ay ay, gaither a handfae a sodgers an' see gin ye quid ca'd the heids off o' them.”
(2) Cai. 1875 Trans. Highl. Soc. 234:
A variety of meadow grass, known by the name of “rough stalk meadow grass” or “sodgers”, is greatly in favour, and suits damp soil well.
(3) Edb. 1886 R. F. Hardy Within a Mile ix.:
By-and-by the bright scarlet poppies showed their tempting heads, “sodgers,” as they called them.

4. Used as a name for small creatures of a reddish hue: (1) of insects and spiders: a ladybird (Peb. a.1836 Jam. MSS. X. 301; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Inv., Mry., Ags., Per., Lnk., Ayr., Kcb., Dmf. 1971), also in combs. Red-sodger (Abd., Fif., Kcb. 1971), sunny-sodger (Watson), id.; a small red spider (Ags., Per. 1971); the red wild bee (Slg., Fif., wm.Sc. 1969); a red butterfly (Ags., Fif. 1971); (2) of fish: the red-breasted minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus (Abd., Lnk., Ayr. 1971), also in Eng. dial.; the male salmon at spawning time (Sc. 1930 Fishery Board Gl.; Gall. 1971); a red herring (Bnff., Abd. 1971).(1) Hdg. 1886 J. P. Reid Facts & Fancies 110:
A pretty little insect of a speckless scarlet hue; and when they all have seen it, “It's a sodger,” they will say.
(2) Edb. 1910 Scotsman (9 Sept.):
Fishin' for sodgers wi' preens.

5. In pl.: small sparks, as on the edge of burning paper (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.), or on the bottom of a pot; smuts of burning soot (Inv., Abd., Ags., Per., Lnl., Dmf. 1971).ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 32:
The small fiery spots that sometimes appear on the bottom of a pot just lifted off the fire went by the name of “sodgers,” and were looked upon as men fighting, and as indicative of war.

6. A wounded or injured child or animal (Abd., Ags., Per., Dmf. 1971).

7. As a tech. term: (1) a packing piece or plug, used to fill a bolt-hole to make a bolt fit more tightly, or to give additional strength behind an ornamental skirting (Sc. 1950 B.B.C. Broadcast (12 May); Lth. 1971) or to limit the extent of a shot fired in mining (Ayr. 1971); (2) an extension piece fitted to a threaded hole-borer or tap to widen the hole it makes (Sc. 1956); (3) a stay for a ladder resting at its top on the ridge of a house (Lth. 1971); (4) a drip of molten solder (Fif. 1971).

8. A standing-stone or monolith (Fif. 1971).

9. A sheaf of corn set with snares to trap game birds.Abd. 1970 Huntly Express (30 Oct.) 2:
They constructed small sheaves called “sodgers”, each carrying about half-a-dozen snares, which they cunningly planted on the stubble, securely pinned down.

10. The yolk of a hard-boiled egg (Kcd. 1971).

II. v. 1. Of turnip leaves: to turn red, a sign that the plant has stopped growing because of excessive moisture in the soil (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 174). Phr. sodgert neeps, turnips whose leaves have turned red in this manner (Ags. 1971).

2. To march in a stolid dogged way, to trudge (ne.Sc., Fif., wm.Sc., Wgt. 1971).Bnff. 1957 Banffshire Jnl. (14 May):
Wullie gaed sodjerin' awa' back tae Bokhowe.

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"Sodger n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sodger>

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