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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CHANNER, Chawner, Chauner, Chunner, Chander, n.² and v. [′tʃɑn(d)ər, ′tʃʌnər]

1. n. Strife, complaining.Sc.(E) 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms xviii. 43:
Ye hae redd me frae the chauner o' the folk.

2. v. To make querulous complaint, to grumble, “to murmur” (Kcb.⁹ 1939), “to talk much and whine” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 133, chawner); “to chide; to scold in a complaining way” (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., chander). Vbl.n. chunnerin; ppl.adj. chaunrin'.ne.Sc. 1996 Patricia Scott in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 22:
Deafin message sint tae brain, deid brain.
Dirlin soun.
Nerves chunner.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 23:
A flock o teuchats gedder, cooryin doon
Atween the furrs an chunnerin i the dark; ...Ags. 1930 “A. Kennedy” Orra Boughs xxix.:
And the chunnerins o' the Bailies or the politicians are tae them but as camels at the needle's ee.w.Sc. 1929 R. Crawford In Quiet Fields 38:
I lift the sneck o' nicht's black yett: The burn's like Lethe channerin'.wm.Sc. 1987 Anna Blair Scottish Tales (1990) 107:
And so the generations who were less wholly occupied in establishing crops and ferry had time to chawner and argue about who was now the head and senior member of the family.Arg.¹ 1929:
Hoot are ye chanerin at? Yer aye girnin at something.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 39:
While chaunrin' Critics girn an' growl.Gsw. 1991 James Alex McCash in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 15:
His rotate heid and snip-snap gape,
thro rimy dormer-gless you micht espy
And flichterin wings; or, silent sash up-heezed,
eavesdrop his priestlike, channering routine.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 154:
If cheated, channer not on me.Kcb. 1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xi.:
As we entered we could hear their [the rock-pigeons'] voices peep-peeping and chunnering to their young.Dwn. 1901 Ulsterisms in North. Whig:
The wife has been channerin' at me for three months to write to you.