Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TUMSHIE, n. Also tumzie (Fif. 1921 T.S.D.C.). [′tʌmʃi]

1. A jocular or colloq. name for a turnip (m. and s.Sc. 1973). Comb. tumshie-gowk, a scarecrow (w.Lth. 1975). See Gowk, n.¹, 2. Gsw. 1947 J. F. Hendry Fernie Brae 128:
Gee we hid a lot o' fun pinchin' totties an' tumshies.

2. Contemptuous term for a person, esp. an idiot.Gsw. 1986 Michael Elder Take the High Road: The Man from France 15:
No one quite knew why, but it must have started during their respective schooldays because she still referred to him as Tumshie McGurk.Sc. 2000 Herald 8 May 14:
I notice the latest in-word of New Labour is performance-related pay. If any teacher or worker in the NHS does not come up to scratch then their salary will be reduced or they will be sacked. I don't expect this will apply to MPs otherwise many of the tumshies I watch and listen to would be immediately penniless.