Sonsy

a. Orig. Sc., Ir., and north. dial. Also 6 sonse, 7– sonsie, 9 sonzy: 8– soncy, 9 soncie; 9 saunsey, -cy. [f. SONSE.

  The opposite term is donsy DONSIE a. (f. *donse, ad. Gael. donas bad luck, misfortune).]

  1.  Bringing luck or good fortune; lucky, fortunate.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, I. xiv. (S.T.S.), I. 80. Þis wounder apperit be þe Erne,… discending fra þe maist sonsy parte of hevin, on þe left hand. Ibid. (1536), Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 16. To give them the more esperance of permanent and sonse weird.

1575.  St. Andrews Kirk-Sess. Reg. (1889), 416. Þay desyrit hir gude-man to pas to the coles witht Dauid Robertson, becaus he was ane sonsy man.

1597.  Jas. I., Daemonologie, III. ii. 65. Some were so blinded, as to beleeue that their house was all the sonsier, as they called it, that such spirites resorted there.

1633.  Orkney Witch Trial, in Abbotsford Club Miscell., 152. The said Marrion … said that scho had ane sonsie hand.

1681.  Aberd. Sess. Min., in W. Ross, Aberdour & Inchcolme, xi. (1885), 332. She said that Elspeth was ‘not sonsie.’

1721.  Kelly, Sc. Prov., Introd. It is no Sonsie to meet a bare Foot in the Morning.

1726.  in Macfarlane, Geog. Coll. (S.H.S.), I. 212. They say the river is not sonsy nor yet the loch.

1824.  Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl., 384. A bean podd, that holds five beans, and a pea podd, which contains nine peas, are considered to be sonsy.

1880.  Antrim & Down Gloss., 95. It’s not sonsy to do that.

  Comb.  1684.  Renwick, Serm., v. (1777), 72. It is never a soncy like manifestation, that makes proud.

  b.  Sound, sensible; shrewd. rare.

a. 1689.  W. Cleland, Poems (1697), 105.

1720.  Ramsay, Wealth, 15. Sonsy sauls wha first contriv’d the way, With project deep our charges to defray.

  2.  Having a thriving, agreeable or attractive appearance; plump, buxom, comely and pleasant; comfortable-looking, etc.

  The various shades of meaning are fully illustrated in the Eng. Dial. Dict.

  a.  Of women or girls.

1725.  Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., III. ii. I’ve twa sonsy lasses, young and fair.

1786.  Burns, Inventory, 54. My sonsie, smirking, dear-bought Bess.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxxix. Is she a pretty girl?… her sister does not get beyond a good comely sonsy lass.

1865.  Cornh. Mag., March, 298. A sonsy, blond-haired young Flemish maiden sat there.

1876.  Mrs. Whitney, Sights & Ins., II. ii. 356. Mother and three daughters, all so fair and sonsy and merry together.

  transf.  1830.  Galt, Lawrie T., VII. iv. (1849), 320. Her neck and all about her is of that sonsy comeliness which is most to the taste of a man of my age.

  b.  Of the face.

1786.  Burns, Twa Dogs, 31. His honest, sonsie, baws’nt face Ay gat him friends in ilka place.

1855.  [J. D. Burn], Autobiogr. Beggar Boy (1859), 125. The amiability of his mind was happily reflected in his broad soncy face.

1863.  Trollope, Rachel Ray, I. 253. I love to look on a young fellow with a sonsy face.

  c.  Of things.

1816.  Scott, Antiq., v. A weel-favoured, sonsy, decent periwig.

1870.  Gd. Words, Feb., 133/2. The men are dressed … in a warm blouse and trousers of sonsy grey homespun.

1891.  V. C. Cotes, Two Girls on Barge, 140. The long wide streets and the sonsy air of the place.

  3.  Of animals: Tractable, manageable.

1786.  Burns, Auld Farmer’s Salut. Mare, v. Ye ne’er was donsie; But hamely, tawie, quiet an’ cannie, An’ unco sonsie.

1808.  Jamieson, s.v., A sonsie horse, one that is peaceable.