sawney
See also: Sawney
English edit
Etymology edit
(fool, idiot): From Sawney, a Scots variant of the personal name Sandy.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
sawney (countable and uncountable, plural sawneys)
- (countable) A fool, an idiot.
- (UK, slang, obsolete, uncountable) Bacon.
- 1820, John Bull, volumes 1-2, page 363:
- Tyrrell, another boy, confirmed their testimony, and said, on one occasion, when they had stolen a heart, liver, and lights, the prisoner said, "go out, one or two of you, and see if you can get a bit of sawney!" (meaning a bit of bacon).
- 1861, The old Roman well, volume 1, page 62:
- A man came in as she spoke, and drawing a large piece of bacon from his pocket, flung it down upon the counter.
'How much d'ye want for it?' said the lodging-house keeper, weighing it with his eyes.
'Sixpence.'
'Sixpence for a bit of sawney! (thieved bacon). We can't give more than fourpence in this shop, my buffer.'
Adjective edit
sawney (comparative more sawney, superlative most sawney)
References edit
- (bacon): 1873, John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary