释义 |
peely-wally, a. Sc.|ˈpiːlɪwɒlɪ, -ˈwalɪ| Also peelie-wallie and as one word. [‘Orig. prob. imit. of a whining, feeble sound’ (Sc. Nat. Dict.). Cf. Eng. dial. pee-wee whining, small (E.D.D.), and wallydrag.] Pale, feeble, sickly, ill-looking.
1832A. Henderson Proverbs 208 Peelie, thin; meagre.—Peelie-wallie, thin; sickly. 1833J. Kennedy Geordie Chalmers 81 But may I ride on the win' wi' auld Nanee Logan, the witch o' Glenteerie, when I gang to siccan a peely-wally concern again! 1895W. Stewart Lilts 104 The sun sen's forth its flickerin' rays, Fu' peely-wally wan. 1904‘H. Foulis’ Erchie xii. 73, I was a kind o' eccentric peely-wally soul, because I sometimes dried the dishes. 1932‘L. G. Gibbon’ Sunset Song 278 And damn it, if before a twelvemonth was up she didn't have a bairn, a peely-wally girl. 1945B. Fergusson Lowland Soldier 25 Ye'd say he was thin, Peelywally, bow-leggit and shilpit. 1962A. MacLeod Eighth Seal vi. 71 The wee Englishman is too peelywally to start any scrapping. 1966K. White Lett. from Gourgounel 96 A snail..her long peelie-wallie neck with two horns slowly prodding the air. |