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.
| 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 208 Peelie, thin; meagre.—Peelie-wallie, thin; sickly. 1833 J. 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! 1895 W. 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. 1945 B. Fergusson Lowland Soldier 25 Ye'd say he was thin, Peelywally, bow-leggit and shilpit. 1962 A. MacLeod Eighth Seal vi. 71 The wee Englishman is too peelywally to start any scrapping. 1966 K. White Lett. from Gourgounel 96 A snail..her long peelie-wallie neck with two horns slowly prodding the air. |