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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.

CHIRM, CHIRME, CHURM(E), n.¹ and v. Given by N.E.D. as arch. and dial., but as St.Eng. in Chambers's Dict. in form chirm; neither form given in Un. or Concise Eng. Dicts. [tʃɪ̢rm, tʃʌrm]

1. n.

(1) A chirp, warble, bird's note; a song. In Nhb. dial. in form churm (E.D.D.).Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 18:
But kent nae chirm or spring ava To haud the dumps an' dools awa'.Ags. 1865 Arbroath Guide (25 Nov.) 3/6:
And the pairtrick's queer chirm comes alang frae the brake.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet ii.:
An' I whiles think the wee bit chirm their leader Robin gies, is bonnier than the blythest lays o' the lark in the simmer mornin.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake, etc. 200:
Awa' wi' denty chirms o' love whase chime the fancy thrills.

(2) The indistinct murmur of conversation.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize II. iii.:
He heard the occasional churme of discourse from passengers still abroad.

(3) “The sound made by the small stones on a pebbly beach when a wave sucks back over them” (Fif.¹⁰ 1940).

2. v.

(1) To warble as a bird, sing; to croon, hum; of cats: to purr. Used both tr. and intr. Now only poet. Found also in n.Eng. dial. (E.D.D.). Cf. Chirl, v. (1).Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shepherd Act I. Sc. i. in Poems (1728):
How heartsome 'tis to see the rising Plants? To hear the Birds chirm o'er their pleasing Rants?Sc. 1842 D. Vedder Poems (1878) 186–187:
And baudrons, on the ingle rug, Will blithely churm at “auld gray thrums.”Abd. 1924 L. Coutts Caul' Nor'-East 9:
Cushies croodle in the fir; Slaes bloom fite as snaw, Pertricks chirm love, an' bir, “Rise lass an' come awa'.”em.Sc. 1920 J. Black Airtin' Hame 50:
Late, late at nicht he'd wander far And chirm aboot the mune or star.Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 56:
Then we heard corncrakes chirming, dismally I thought.Lnk. 1862 D. Wingate Poems and Songs 10:
The pan's chirmin' sweetly its promise to boil.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ayrshire Legatees 282:
The lassie weans, like clustering bees, were mounted on the carts that stood before Thomas Birlpenny the vintner's door, churming with anticipated delight.

(2) “To fret, to be peevish, to be habitually complaining” (Sc. 1808 Jam., chirme; Uls.² 1929); “to argue a point that has been settled” (Sc. 1911 S.D.D. Add.). Ppl.adj. chirming.Fif. 1854 “S. Tytler” Phemie Millar 33:
She will get little good from her mother, a chirming, wairdless, foolish woman, to come trailing here in her daughter's way.Lnk. 1895 W. Stewart Lilts and Larks frae Larkie 40:
An' she, douce wife, 'boot woman's richts had never cause to chirm.

(3) With in: “to back up or second what has been said by somebody else” (E.D.D.). Cf. Eng. chime in.Ant. 1898 E.D.D.:
“Hear! hear!” he chirmed in.