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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

TEMP, v. Also timp (ne.Sc.). Pa.t., pa.p. tempit. Sc. forms of Eng. tempt. See P.L.D. § 63.2. Also to tease, annoy (Cai. 1972). Hence tempin, -en(g), vbl.n., ppl.adj., tempting; temptashous, temptacious, tempting; temptsome, tempting, alluring; also, by conflation with captivating, ¶temptivatin, id. (Slk. 1875 N. Elliott Nellie Macpherson 25).Sc. 1807 Child Ballads (1965) V. 166:
The first an thing that ever ye gaa to me Was the tempen chess of farie.Kcd. 1820 E. Tevendale Misc. Poems 26:
No fond endearments temp me now to live.Sc. 1829 New Sc. Haggis 178:
I kenna how mony kinds o' veevres there were, a' unco temptsome.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb x.:
It's a temp'in o' Providence to keep them back.Lnk. 1895 A. G. Murdoch Readings ii. 30:
The display was very ample and indeed ‘quite temptashous'.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 57:
Awfully tempit wi the sicht an the smell o' the whuskey.Per. 1903 H. MacGregor Souter's Lamp 82:
Tempin' the Deil this wy in his ain hoose.Dmf. 1937 T. Henderson Lockerbie 80:
A' howp he'll no' land at the en' o' the week and temp folk tae be shiftin' their gear on the Sawbath day.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi.:
A corter o' yer fine timpin lyookin breed.