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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

UNDEEMOUS, adj. Also undeemis, -us, -as, -deimis, -demous; -dömious, -dömeis, -dümi(ou)s, -dümmus (Sh.), -doomis, -dumous (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); ondeemas, oondeemous (Abd.), -domious, -dumis (Sh.); endumous (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); indumious (Sh.). [ʌn′diməs, ən-; Sh. -′døm(j)əs]

1. Extraordinary, enormous, incredible, esp. of size or amount, inconceivably large, immense, incalculable (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; I., ‡ne.Sc. 1973). Also used adv. (Bnff. 1930). Adv. undeemously.n.Sc. 1747 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) II. 218:
Mourn for our undeemus skeith Since Willie's gone.Sc. 1812 The Scotchman 51:
He'll easily see what an undeemous sillar it costs to maintain them.Dmb. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xiv.:
This baird o' mine has grown just undeemously.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
I wudna advise ye to keep up, expeckin' an ondeemas price for 't.Ags. 1894 F. Mackenzie Glenbruar 81:
That's most undemous, but ye are no to hae me sittin' here till the day o' judgment because your cuddy has turned aboot.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ I. ii.:
He's ondeemously glaikit wha min's ither things.Sh. 1924 J. Hunter Sketches 110:
Da cat wis carrin' on sprees wi' da neighbours cats 'at wis maist undumious.Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 19:
Deil tak' this ondeemas hoast.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 59:
The knoll dwinnils intil undeemis nicht
whaur the tint yet aye-seen starn
ferlies the een wi a ghaist o licht. Sc. 1991 T. S. Law in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 32:
a groo-graithit taet
againss the mair groo
o the ondeemas luft,
o the doore orrie erd
in sicna groo border
whaur the nicht
mells a weird wi the bricht Abd. 1993:
E mannie hid a maist ondeemous big mou.

2. Of weather: very rough, wild, boisterous (Sh. 1973).Sh. 1898 Shetland News (7 May):
Da wadder is juist bün indümious.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (24 Dec.):
He's comin' a night at'll be oondömeis.