An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 94

_Maitland Poems._

_Boniest_, most beautiful.

_Montgomerie._

2. It is occasionally used ironically, in the same way with E. _pretty_, S.

_Priests of Peblis._

3. Precious, valuable.

_Minstrelsy Border._

_Bonny_ is used in the same sense by Shakspeare, and since his time by some other E. writers. But I suspect that it is properly S. Johnson derives it from Fr. _bon_, _bonne_, good. This is by no means satisfactory; but we must confess that we cannot subst.i.tute a better etymon.

BONYNES, _s._ Beauty, handsomeness.

_Philotus_.

BONK, _s._ Bank.

_Douglas._

Probably corr. from A. S. _bene_. Isl. _bunga_, however, signifies tumor terrae.

BONNAGE, _s._ An obligation, on the part of the tenant, to cut down the proprietor's corn.

_Statist. Acc._

Evidently a corr. of _Bondage_.

BONNAR, _s._ "A bond," Gl.

_Popular Ball._

BONNET.

V. ~White Bonnet~.

BONOCH, _s._ "A binding to tie a cow's hind legs when she is a-milking."

_Kelly._

BONSPEL, _s._ A match, at the diversion of _curling_ on the ice, between two opposite parties, S.

V. ~Curl~.

_Graeme._

Belg. _bonne_, a village, a district, and _spel_, play; because the inhabitants of different villages or districts contend with each other in this sport, one parish, for example, challenging another. Or, the first syllable may be traced to Su. G. _bonde_, an husbandman.

BONXIE, _s._ The name given to the Skua Gull, Shetl.

_Neill._

BOO, BOW, _s._ A term sometimes used to denote a farm-house or village, in conjunction with the proper name, Ang.

Su. G. _bo_, Isl. _bu_, _boo_, domicilium, a house or dwelling, also, a village; Moes. G. _baua_, id.

In the Orkney Islands, where the Gothic was long preserved in greater purity than in our country, the princ.i.p.al farm-house on an estate, or in any particular district of it, is in a great many instances called the _Boll_ or _Bow_.

_Barry._

BOODIES, _pl._ Ghosts, hobgoblins, Aberd.

_Journal Lond._

It might be deduced from A. S. _boda_, a messenger, from _bod-ian_, to declare, to denounce. But it seems to be rather originally the same with C. B. _bugudhai_, hobgoblins, Gael. _bodach_, a ghost.

BOOL, _s._ A contemptuous term for a man, especially if advanced in years. It is often conjoined with an epithet; as "an auld _bool_," an old fellow, S.

Su. G. _bol_, the trunk of the body, as distinguished from the head and feet.

BOOLS _of a pot_, _s. pl._ Two crooked instruments of iron, linked together, used for lifting a pot by the ears, S.; also called _clips_.

Teut. _boghel_, numella; Germ. _bugel_, any thing that is circular or curved.

BOOL-HORNED, _adj._ Perverse, obstinate, inflexible, S. apparently from the same origin with ~Bools~.

_Boolie-horned_, Border, and W. of S. A. Bor. _buckle-horns_, short crooked horns turned horizontally inwards.

BOONMOST, _adj._ Uppermost, S. p.r.o.n. _bunemist_.

_Ross._