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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PINK, n.², v.¹, adv.¹

I. n. 1. Anything very small, a tiny object (Lth., Ayr., Lnk. 1825 Jam., “a term mostly used by little children”; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); a spot, a speck, a tiny hole (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 126); a tiny speck of light (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 382). Gen. used in dim. form pinkie. Adj. pinkie, tiny, minute, teeny-weeny (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., a pinkie bairn; Lth., Lnk. 1965).Sc. 1825 Jam.:
There's a wee pinkie hole in that stocking.

2. In dim. form pinkie: the little finger (Lth. 1808 Jam.; Ayr., Lth. 1923–26 Wilson; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen. (exc. ne.) Sc. Also pinkie-finger, id. In 1935 quot. of the little toe. Combs. pinkie, finger or thoomb, a child's guessing game (Rxb. 1958 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 20); pinkie tae, the small toe.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch i.:
His pinkie was hacked off by a dragoon of Cornel Gardiner's, down by at Prestonpans.Ags. 1884 C. Neill Musings 89:
The fire burn my pinkie, the frost bite my toe.Slk. 1891 Sc. N. & Q. IV. 152:
He came forward and demanded to “cleek pinkies” with him . . . This is a good modern instance of an old mode of clinching a bargain.Ags. 1896 Barrie Sentimental Tommy ii.:
Never again should his pinkie finger go through that warm hole.Lnk. 1897 J. Wright Scenes Sc. Life 8:
All the other processionists again join hands, or rather “pinkies”, and follow on in pairs.Ags. 1932 Our Meigle Book 165:
There would we vouch for the truth by entwining “pinkies” and reciting, “Ring, little pinkie, if I tell a lie, I'll not go to heaven when I die.”wm.Sc. 1935 J. Corrie Income 11:
Then the pinkie took sair, and puir Sandy was left wi' a fit without ony taes.Fif. 1939 St. Andrews Citizen (28 Jan.) 5:
Ye met wi' cronies ane or twa, Wha like yersel' the cork could draw, An' pinkie twirl.Gsw. 1951 H. W. Pryde M. McFlannel's Romance 58:
You're the kind that can twist weemin roon yer wee pinkie.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 44:
Be firm! Ever since she wis a toddler she could wrap ye
roon her pinkie! Fif. 1985 Christopher Rush A Twelvemonth and a Day 86:
She jammed a pencil crossways between their fingers, the pencil resting on pinkie and forefinger and held fast by the two middle fingers. Then she thrashed and thrashed until the pencil broke. m.Sc. 1994 J. E. MacInnes in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 14:
... but I hud actually made a habit o nickin these shoes oan a Friday efternoon, so much so that they hud gien me a corn oan each wee pinkie tae, that gied me gyp.wm.Sc. 1995 Alan Warner Morvern Callar 60:
The Panatine breenged in and over to the bar. He had his right hand circled in dirty bandage and the pinkie was just a blob of cotton wool; ... Sc. 2000 Herald 18 Mar 8:
Much of one ear had to be sewn back on. His right pinkie was almost sliced off as he put his hands up to protect his face ...  Edb. 2003:
Ah've broken baith ma pinkie taes.em.Sc.(a) 2005:
The rough edge o ma shoe is irritatin ma pinkie tae.

†3. “The smallest candle that is made” (Sc. 1808 Jam.).

II. v. Of the eyes: to become small and narrow, to be half-shut; of persons: to contract the eyes, to blink, peer (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also in Eng. dial.; fig. of the stars: to peep, twinkle, sparkle. Hence pinkie, -y, (1) adj., of the eyes: narrowed, peering, winking (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Comb. pinkie-eyed, of persons: having small, blinking eyes; (2) n., a player in the game of Pillie winkie, sc. the one who is blindfolded or who keeps his eyes closed. Also pinkie-winkie, the game of Pilliewinkie (Fif. 1825 Jam., s.v.).Sc. 1715 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 68:
Meg Wallet wi' her pinky Een, Gart Lawrie's Heart-strings dirl.Sc. 1824 S. Ferrier Inheritance I. viii.:
A long-chinned pinky-eyed female.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 65:
Starnies pinkin' frae oot the sky.Fif. 1884 G. Bruce Reminisc. 173:
A monkey was on the stage at the entrance of the Show, sitting on a box pinking and winking as only puggies can wink and pink.

III. adv. In dim. form in comb. pinky-winky, in a blinking, eyelid-fluttering manner.Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Trad. Edb. 217:
While pinky-winky go his een, How blest is each bystander!