Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1808-1827, 1923
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BELLY-BLIND, BILLY BLYNDE, BILLY BLIN, n. and adj.
1. n. (See first quot.)Cld., s.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
Belly-blind. The play called Blind-man's buff. . . . This is the only name for this game, Roxburghsh. and the other counties on the Border. It is also used Clydes.s.Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
Billy blynde, Billy blin . . . Blind-man's-buff. Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 53:
†Belly-blind. The game of blind-man's-buff. [Cf. Billy, n.1, Combs. (3) (b).]
2. adj. Stone blind.Sc. 1827 G. R. Kinloch Ballads 24:
An auld belly-blind man was sittin' there.
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"Belly-blind n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bellyblind>
