tammie norrie

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Scots

[edit]
Scots Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia sco

Noun

[edit]

tammie norrie (plural tammie norries)

  1. puffin
  2. stupid-looking, bashful man

Quotations

[edit]
  • 1842, unknown source quoted or summarised in 2002 2nd edition of Thesaurus of traditional English metaphors, by Peter Richard Wilkinson, page 346:
    Tammie Norrie [Sc : 1842] A stupid looking, bashful man; a puffin.
    (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  • 1867, William Henry Smyth, Edward Belcher, The Sailor's Word-Book[1], page 500:
    NORRIE, and TAMMIE NORRIE. The Scotch name for the puffin.
    (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  • 1873, Handbook for Northumberland, by John Murray, page 215 (from 1892 quote in English Folk Rhymes, by G. F. Northall, page 276):
    Tammie Norrie o' the Bass, / Canna kiss a pretty lass.
    (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  • 1896, Andrew Cheviot, Proverbs, proverbial expressions, and popular rhymes of Scotland[2], page 310:
    Tammie Norrie o' the Bass, / Canna kiss a bonnie lass.
    “The Tammie Norrie” or puffin has a peculiar beak. The rhyme is a hit at bashful lovers. –“The Antiquary.” ch. 7. So–
    “A Tammie Norrie” is a stupid-looking, bashful man.