sawney

noun

1. (countable)A fool, an idiot.
2. (UK, obsolete, uncountable)Bacon.

   “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).”

   “If a boy comes to the house on a night without money or sawney, or something to sell to the lodgers, a handkerchief or something of that kind, he is not admitted, but told very plainly, ‘Go thieve it, then.’”

   “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.'”

3. (archaic, derogatory)A Scotsman.

   ““They can live upon barley-meal without a morsel of meat from week-end to week-end, can these miserable Sawnies,” quoth another.”

   “He took the gibe and scowled at me--he spoke always like a Sawney, and could never pass for English; but in his pleasure at the discovery he had made he let the word pass.”

adj

1. foolish, stupid

name

1. A diminutive of the male given name Alexander, of Scots origin.

   “Sawney Bean”

   “But Sawney grew weary, and fain would be civil, / Being auld, and unfeary, and fail'd of his strength”