sawney

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See also: Sawney

English

Etymology

(fool, idiot): From Sawney, a Scots variant of the personal name Sandy.

Pronunciation

Noun

sawney (countable and uncountable, plural sawneys)

  1. (countable) A fool, an idiot.
  2. (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

sawney (comparative more sawney, superlative most sawney)

  1. foolish, stupid

References

  • (bacon): 1873, John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary

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