Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CARCAGE, CARKIDGE, Cairkeedge, n.  Also karkish (Bwk. 1859 P. Landreth J. Spindle (1911) 7; Sh. 1975). Sc. forms of Eng. carcase.  [′kɑrkɪtʃ, ′kɑrkɪdʒ, ′kɑrkɪʃ, ′kɑrkidʒ, ′ker-]

1. A carcase (Sc. 1909 Colville 102, carcidge; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.). Known to Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Ags.¹, Fif.¹⁰ 1938. The head form carcage is given by Scott in O. Mortality (1816) xxiii. and by Hogg a.1835 in Tales, etc. (1837) II. 276. Other forms for this meaning are carkeege (Sh. 1888 Edmonston and Saxby Home of a Naturalist 292); carcish (Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Sh. Trad. Lore 185); carkitch (Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto Tammas Bodkin xx.); carcatch (Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 231).

2. “An unwieldy, ponderous person” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., cairkeedge).Bnff.² 1930:
I met Hairry the day; he's fairly thrivin' in his new place, for he's growin' an afa' carkidge.