donsie

American  

[don-see, dawn-] / ˈdɒn si, ˈdɔn- /

Or donsy

adjective

1. Midland U.S. somewhat sick, weak, or lacking in vitality; not completely well.

2. Scot. unfortunate; ill-fated; unlucky.

3. British Dialect. fastidious; neat; tidy.

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Etymology

Origin of donsie

1710–20; < Scots Gaelic donas harm, ill + -ie

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

donsie

When first I gaed to woo my Jenny, Ye then was trotting wi' your minnie: Tho' ye was trickie, slee, an' funnie, Ye ne'er was donsie; But hamely, tawie, quiet, an' cannie, An' unco sonsie.

From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Robert Burns

But what is to become of the poor donsie woman, no one can expound. 

From The Ayrshire Legatees, or, the Pringle family by John Galt

I’ve seen the day, and sae hae ye, Ye wadna been sae donsie, O!

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Robert Burns

The Lowland Scotch has donsie, "unfortunate, stupid."—Notes and Queries, 225, September 21, 1878.

From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

I, for their thoughtless, careless sakes, Would here propone defences, Their donsie tricks, their black mistakes, Their failings and mischances.

From The Home Book of Verse — Volume 4 by Burton Egbert Stevenson

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