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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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LEMPIT, n. Also lempet; laimpet, -it; lempad, -ed, -id (Ork., Cai.); lampet, -it; lampock; lempeck (Bwk. 1842 Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club II. 36), lempic (Fif. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 253). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. limpet. [Sc. ′lɛ(i)mpət, Fif. ′lɛmpɪk]

1. As in Eng. In Ork. also used as a nickname for a native of Stronsay parish (Ork. 1903 G. F. Black Folk-Lore 267, 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 320, Ork. 1960). Also attrib.Sc. 1707 G. Miege Pres. State N. Britain ii. ii. 15:
Lampits, Wilks, Clams and Spouts, which are cast up in such Numbers in the Isles, as the People are not able to consume them.Sc. 1747 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) I. 197:
He had not any other Meat than Dilse and Lammocks [sic], a Kind of Shell-fish.Ayr. 1786 Burns Earnest Cry vii.:
Triumphant crushin't like a mussel, Or lampit shell! [MSS. laimpet, -it.]Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxxxv.:
The tasty whilks and lampets that Widow Calder … assured her customers … were pickled to a concupiscable state of excellence.Fif. 1830 A. Stewart Dunfermline(1889)161:
Pitchers to be filled with whelks, lempics, and cavies.Bwk. 1842 Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club II. 36:
The Limpet or Lempecks. These have a rather thin shell of a greenish colour.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 49:
Mansie Meur was pickan' lempeds i' the ebb.Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 156:
Full eyes are sometimes compared to "Lempets," and sometimes to "Pleughmen's watches."Fif. 1951 P. Smith The Herrin' 17:
And mony a lempit's shell they cracket.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 86:
He'd cairry on till his wee pailie wis fu o lempets: some he gollached doon as sune's he preed them, sookin the sappy wersh soss as if frae a speen; ...

2. Combs.: (1) lempit-breu, water in which limpets have been boiled from their shells (Sh. 1960); (2) lempit cuddie, a small basket in which limpets are collected (Sh. 1960). See Cuddie, n.²; (3) lempit ebb, the shore between high and low water mark where limpets are to be found (I.Sc. 1960); (4) lempit pick, a small chisel used for striking limpets off the rocks (I.Sc. 1960). See quot. under (2); (5) lempit roadie, see quot.(1) Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 129:
A aire o' lempit breu.(2) Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 92:
My mussel-draigs, my lempit pick, An' sae my lempit cuddie.(3) Sh. 1897 Shetland News (2 Oct.):
Doo'll mebbie get her ta geng i' da lempit ebb.(4) Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 68:
Da first 'at he cam wi' wis a lempit pick instead o' a shisel — ta prick da coo wi'!(5) Ags. 1949 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 87:
had a notion there was a route down to the beach hereabout. There was, though it turned out to be much too steep to be classified as a path, or (as they say in these parts) a "limpit roadie."