birkie

American  

[bur-kee, bir-kee] / ˈbɜr ki, ˈbɪr ki /

noun

Scot.

1. an aggressive, independent man.

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birkie British  

/ ˈbɪrkɪ /

noun

1. a spirited or lively person

2. a foolish posturer

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Etymology

Origin of birkie

First recorded in 1715–25; of uncertain origin

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

birkie

And there will be Kempleton's birkie, A boy no sae black at the bane; But as to his fine Nabob fortune, We'll e'en let the subject alane.

From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Robert Burns

"Yon Lord Curzon's an impudent birkie," she said, with a rush of tears to her eyes that seemed even to herself an excessive comment on Lord Curzon; then the knock came.

From The Judge by Rebecca West

To-morrow, the birkie o’ Harden shall have his choice—either upon the instant to marry our daughter, Meikle-mouthed Meg, or strap for it.”

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 2 Historical, Traditional, and Imaginative by John Mackay Wilson

Look ye hear, my bit birkie," says Sandy, gien a gey wild-like wink wi' his richt e'e, "you speak when ye're spoken till!

From My Man Sandy by J. B. Salmond

Hardly was his back turned, and almost before ye could cry Jack Robison, in comes the birkie and the very young lady the old gentleman described, arm-and-arm together, smoodging and laughing like daft. 

From The Life of Mansie Wauch Tailor in Dalkeith, written by himself by David Macbeth Moir

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