[‘ A mischievous trick; a frolic.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈplɪski/, U.S. /ˈplɪski/
Forms: α. /Sc./ 17–18 *plisk*. β. /Eng. regional/ (Cumberland) 18 *pliskit*, 19– *plisket*; /Sc./ 18 *plasket*, 19– *plisket*. γ. /Eng. regional/ (north.) 18– *plisky*; /Sc./ 17– *pliskie*, 17– *plisky*, 19– *pliskey*, 19– *plistrie* /Orkney/; /Irish English/ (north.) 19– *plisky*.
Etymology:Origin unknown.
The β and γ forms apparently show different suffixation (compare -et suffix1, -y suffix6).
The form plasket is apparently attested only in Galt (compare quot. 1822 at sense A. 1).
/Sc./, Irish English (north.), and Eng. regional (north.).
*A.* n.
*1.* A mischievous trick; a frolic.
1706 in /Sc. Antiquary/ (1898) *12* 99 Its nae forgotten yet, the foul Plisk they play’d us about our Caledonia Business.
1771 J. Finlayson /Marches Day/ (1814) 46 Beegod, I’ll play him a plisky for this.
1816 Scott /Antiquary/ III. xii. 269, I can hae nae reason to play an ill pliskie t’ye in the day o’ your distress.
1822 J. Galt /Sir Andrew Wylie/ II. iii. 31 The Countess, whom I canna believe to have been playing ony plasket.
1887 P. McNeill /Blawearie/ 154 Get them fu’, and we’ll soon play them a plisky.
1895 /Banffshire Jrnl./ 15 Jan. 6/1 The little imp in green which he doubted not had played upon him such a pliskie.
1932 W. D. Cocker /Poems Scots & Eng./ 53 The bairnies, comin’ hame frae schule, Play pliskies at the door.
1996 C. I. Macafee /Conc. Ulster Dict./ 256/2 /Plisky/, a mischievous trick.
1997 E. Morgan /Virtual & Other Realities/ 40, I love those eldritch pliskies that are thrown At us from a too playful past.
*2.* An awkward or distressing situation; a predicament.
1818 J. Hogg /Brownie of Bodsbeck/ I. iii. 45 The men saw the pliskie that I was in, and there was a kind o’ ruefu’ benevolence i’ their looks.
1827 A. Rodger /Peter Cornclips/ 25 Whiles cursing that infernal whisky, Fell cause o’ mony a luckless plisky.
1829 in R. Chambers /Sc. Songs/ I. 136 Ye little ken what pains I prove, Or how severe my pliskie, O!
1847 E. Brontë /Wuthering Heights/ I. xiii. 324 Aw nobbut wish he muh cotch ye i’ that plisky.
1900 ‘S. Tytler’ /Jean Keir/ iii, He did not get beyond a breathless ‘We’ve gotten into a plisky.’
1973 E. Morgan /From Glasgow to Saturn/ 75 Yon is an ourie pliskie!
†*B.* adv.
Falsely, deceitfully. Obs./ /rare.
1883–4 /Royal Caled. Curling Club Ann./ 363 Atweel, guidwife I played ye plisk When I set aff the day.
*C.* adj.
Mischievous; full of tricks; sly or underhand. Also fig.
1887 J. Service /Life Dr. Duguid/ i. iv. 27 Auld Habkin o’ the Pethfit, who was a pliskie body.
1912 D. McKie /Fables Frae French/ 50 They saw a Tod, an’, heth! they kent him weel As baith a plisky an’ a grippy chiel.
1953 M. Traynor /Eng. Dial. Donegal/ 214/2 /Plisky/,..sly, under-hand.
1994 W. N. Herbert /Forked Tongue/ 116 Thir plisky spit sall gar yi think thi daith-dive’s rinnin frae yir lugs an drippan frae yir toaffy-nebs!