ca canny

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Scots ca canny.

Verb

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ca canny

  1. (Scotland) To go carefully or slowly; to take care.
    • 1922, Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World:
      [] the inevitable result was that the willing horses were overworked. It was a point of honour not to ca’ canny.
    • 1995, Alan Warner, Morvern Callar, Vintage, published 2015, page 79:
      I walked away from the fire and tore up green bracken, caw-cannying not to slash my fingers on stalks.

Noun

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ca canny (uncountable)

  1. Alternative form of ca' canny

Scots

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From ca (call; drive) + canny (gentle).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ca canny

  1. to drive gently; (hence), to go easy, to be careful
    • 1836, Michael Scott, The Cruise of the Midge:
      Ca' canny, man,’ said he, as I approached — ‘Ca' canny, Saunders — dinna rive folk alang the road to heaven at that rate, man.’
      ‘Take it easy, man,‘ said he, as I approached — ‘Take it easy, Saunders — don't drag people along the road to heaven at that rate, man.‘
    • 1868, Alexander Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland:
      Ca' canny and flee laigh. Ca' canny and ye'll break nae graith.
      Be careful and fly low. Be careful and you'll break no gear.
    • 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin, published 2009, page 390:
      Some were real fighters and ye could spot them a mile away, so then ye had to caw canny. Ye just caw canny.
      Some where real fighters and you could spot them a mile away, so then you had to take care. You just take care.