| 释义 |
sculduddery Sc. and U.S.|skʌlˈdʌdərɪ|
Also 8 sculdudry, 8–9 sculduddry, 9 skulduddery; cf. also skulduggery.
[Of obscure origin.]
1. ‘A term, now used in a ludicrous manner, to denote those causes that come under the judgment of an ecclesiastical court, which respect some breach of chastity’ (Jam.).
Jamieson's words imply that the word was originally in serious use, but of this there seems to be no evidence.
1713S. Centlivre Wonder iii. iii. Wks. 1760 III. 42 But I'm seer ther's na sike honest People here, or there wou'd na be so muckle Sculdudrie [note Fornication]. 1714Ramsay On J. Cowper 5 There's none..Could sa'r sculdudry out like John. c1730Burt Lett. N. Scot. (1818) I. 190 If any one be brought before a presbytery &c., to be questioned for sculduddery, i.e. fornication or adultery. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xvi, [They] can find out naething but a wee bit skulduddery for the benefit o' the Kirk-treasurer.
2. Obscenity.
1821Galt Legatees ix. Let. xxxii. 271 All the sculduddery of the business might have been well spared from the eye of the public. 1824Scott Redgauntlet Let. xi, Speaking blasphemy and sculduddry.
3. attrib. passing into adj.
a. Concerned with ‘sculduddery’ as a punishable offence.
b. Of literature or conversation: Obscene.
1756A. Pennecuik Coll. Sc. Poems 136 Sculdudry-fowk may now sing dool, And steep their graith in a cald pool. a1779D. Graham Misc. Writ. (1883) II. 135 They did na like sculdudery wark, but said na meikle against it. 1824Scott Redgauntlet Let. xi, The rental-book..was lying beside him; and a book of sculduddry sangs was put betwixt the leaves. |