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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DACKER, DAIKER, Daker, Dekkir, Dicker, v.¹, n.¹, adj. Also dacher (Abd.²⁷ 1947). Cf. Dackle, v., n.¹ [′dɑkər, ′dekər, ′dɑxər]

I. v.

1. To walk slowly, to saunter, to loiter (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Fif.¹ 1939); “to walk aimlessly” (Fif.¹⁰ 1939); “to go about in a feeble or infirm state” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.²). Also found in Eng. dial. (E.D.D.).Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel iii.:
And in the morning I cam daikering here, but sad wark I had to find my way.Abd.² 1946:
Mak' haste, laddie, an' dinna dacker by the wye.wm.Sc. 1835–37 Laird of Logan II. 131:
What faschit me maist, was some of my ain frien's, in daikering backwards and forwards in the square.Rxb.(D) 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes an Knowes 2:
A cood fain heh dwinglt, an daikert aboot in sleepery Bosells.

‡2. “To engage, to grapple” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.); to interfere. Also in Wm. and Glo. dials. (E.D.D.).Bnff.¹³ c.1927:
He wis feart to dacker wi it.Abd.(D) 1742 R. Forbes Ajax (1755) 8:
I dacker'd wi' him by mysel.

3. “To be engaged about any piece of work in which one does not make great exertion; to be slightly employed” (Sc. 1825 Jam.²; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., dekkir; dicker Edb., Ayr. 2002); known to Slg.³ 1939. Cf. w.Yks. dial. daker, to work overtime; to spin out work for the purpose of making overtime (E.D.D.). Gen. with on: to jog along; sometimes with with: to co-operate.Sc. 1756 J. Fleming Robert Adam (1962) 186:
Does Susy and he just dacker on in the old way?Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy vi.:
There's aye . . . something to ripe that I would like to see ripen, — and sae I e'en daiker on wi' the family frae year's end to year's end.Sc. 1825 Jam.²:
One is said to daiker in a house, to manage the concerns of a family in a slow but steady way. One daikers with another, when there is mutual co-operation between those who live together. They are said to daiker fine, when they agree so well as to co-operate effectively.Sh.³ 1939:
Dir nothin' for it bit ta dekkir on till du's done.Bnff. 1948 Neil Paterson The China Run (1986) 53:
... Mistress Evans on each occasion dickering about in a very feminine and helpless fashion, ...Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick v.:
You and me'll daiker on thegither fine.Peb. 1793 Carlop Green (ed. R. D. C. Brown 1832) ii. 30:
They daker on, and tak' and gi'e Baith kindness and abuse.

4. “To truck, to traffic” (Lth. 1808 Jam.); to strike a bargain. Cf. section 2.Abd.⁵ 1931:
“Did ye dacker aboot the calf, man?” “Oh, tye, we made a bargain.”

II. n.

1. A stroll (Bnff.² 1939).wm.Sc. 1835–37 Laird of Logan I. 272:
We . . . used to take a bit daiker to the country to see how the gowans . . . were growing.

†2. A struggle, a noisy, wrangling dispute. Also found in n.Eng. dial. (E.D.D.).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 23:
For they great dacker made an' tulzi'd strang, Ere they wad yield an' let the cattle gang.

3. "The ripple caused, in a body of water, by the rapid motion of a fish under the surface" (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 57, daiker). Poss. a different word but see etym. note.

III. adj. “Hesitating, uncertain, undecided; applied to a person who can't make up his mind, and to the weather when nnsettled” (Lnk., Rnf. 1887 Jam.⁶). Also in Eng. (mainly n.) dial., applied to weather (E.D.D.).