Peesweep, peeweet, peewit, peezie, etc.
- the lapwing Vanellus vanellus. In spite of its good work in eating harmful insects, the lapwing is not universally popular:
In the south of Scotland, this bird is termed the peesweep. In the south and west of Scotland, it is much detested, though not reckoned ominous
(JOHN LEYDEN The Complaynt of Scotland 1801)
Sir Walter Scott suggests a reason for this in Tales of a Grandfather (1829):
[The Covenanters] expressed great dislike of that beautiful bird, the Green-plover, in Scottish called the Peeseweep. The reason alleged was, that these birds being, by some instinct, led to attend to and watch any human beings whom they see in their native wilds, the soldiers were often guided in pursuit of the wanderers... by the plover being observed to hover over a particular spot.
The melancholy cry, from which its name comes, may be another reason:
The teuchat was followed as it wailed out in circles round the intruder, "Peese-weet, peese-weet, hairy [harry] my nest, and gar me greet [make me weep]"
(PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW, Proceedings 1899)
A peesweep storm is a gale or snowstorm in the early spring, about the time the lapwings begin to pair.
Human beings who are compared to peesweeps are generally sharp-featured, gaunt, shrill-voiced, shrewish, whining, complaining, peevish or ailing:
Ony peesie-weesie, close-handit, peer-hairtit, nairrow-sowled coonterfeit in Gweed's creation...
(JAMES BROWN The Round Table Club 1873)
Come back oot o' there, you peeseweep-lookin' thing ye!
(ALEXANDER WARDROP Johnnie Mathison's Courtship and Marriage 1881)
Or they might be an empty-headed, vain person, loud-voiced and showy:
Go, go, ye painted pisweips to fairs and waddins [weddings], and there display your proud banners of pride.
(DOUGAL GRAHAM Collected Writings 1779)
A miner's singlet, of blue-grey flannel, like a lapwing's wings is also known as a peesweep. See also Teuchat.