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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DAVER, DAIVER, DAAVER, DEVER, Dauver, Deaver, Daever, v. and n. [′de:vər]

I. v.

1. intr.

(1) To wander aimlessly or dazedly (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); to stagger or totter about, as if stupefied (e.g. after a blow) (Ork. 1929 Marw.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); to reel, spin (of the head); “to waver” (Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) 150, daaver). Known to Bnff.² (daiver), Abd.², Kcb.¹ 1940. Deriv. daiverment, a daze, stupor.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 16:
I've seen puir Tammy in a swither . . . A swither o' sweit to win awa, An' daiver oot in rain or snaw.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxi.:
Was it possible that in a state o' drucken daiverment I had stappit oot o' the Anchor Tavern, an' tint my gait?Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems 172:
Some fashious bodies sair me plagu'd, Wi' their confounded hav'ring, I've thought Auld Nick wi' them had leagu'd, To ding my head a dav'ring.

Hence phr. daaveran an sleepan, “lurching over or swaying with sleep” (Ork. 1929 Marw.).

(2) To tarry, dawdle (Abd.⁹ 1940). Ppl.adj . daverin'.Bnff. 1862 Bnffsh. Jnl. (28 Oct.) 7:
Dinna sit daiverin Doon at the dyke.Ayr. 1879 J. White Jottings 290:
Ne'er daiver wi' ony Lang o'er the gill-stoup.w.Dmf. 1920 J. L. Waugh Heroes in Homespun (1921) 17:
Gee up, you daverin', dotterin' auld fule.

Hence daverer, one who puts off fulfilling his promises.Edb. 1845 F. W. Bedford Hist. G. Heriot's Hospital (1859) 346:
He's . . . aye blasting and blawing about his rich uncles and aunties. Besides he is a great daverer and is aye gessing.

(3) To be stupid (Rxb. 1825 Jam.², dever; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., obs.); “to be in a state of dotage” (Ork. 1929 Marw.); “to speak incoherently and vaguely” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); ppl.adj. daivert, daivered, in a state of dotage (Bnff.² 1940; Kcb. 1827 Curriehill; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., daivered).

(4) To fall asleep (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) 150). Cf. Dover.

2. tr.

(1) To stun, stupefy, daze (Sc. 1818 Sawers Dict. Sc. Lang.; Cai.³ 1931; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., da(i)ver). Commonly found in pa.p. and ppl.adj. davered, davert, daivert, etc., stunned, stupefied (Bnff.² 1940; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 237; Uls.¹ c.1920); silly, senseless; bewildered (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.); “fatigued” (Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicholson in County of Cai. 70, daivered). Also in n.Eng. dial. (E.D.D.).Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St. Patrick III. viii.:
Ye aul', daft, deleerit, drucken, daver't, doitet, wuddiefu' o' fozzy beef, are ye there again?Abd.(D) 1932 R. L. Cassie Sc. Sangs 11:
Ootbye I'll stan' an' see the play, An' rest my daivert heid.Edb. 1801 H. Macneill Poet. Wks. II. 52:
There's naithing here, our harns to daver, But rare auld stuff to mak us claver.Hdg. 1902 J. Lumsden Toorle, etc. 101:
Her death fair daver'd him, an' before twa month had slippit bye, he had left Scotland for guid.Rxb. 1767 Craig & Laing Hawick Tradition (1898) 237:
The Hawick Herd, coming his round with the beasts, came up to him in a passion and davered him with a staff.Rxb. 1912 Jedburgh Gazette (19 July) 3:
The Germans were fair daevert.

(2) To benumb, to chill. Gen. found in ppl.adj. davert, etc. (Mry.¹ 1925, dauvert; Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1940).Sc. ? The Ghaist 3 (Jam.²):
But wi' the cauld Sae davert he — he cou'd na crook his mou'.Bnff. 1927 Bothy Songs in Bnffsh. Jnl. (30 Aug.) 3/5:
For her heart's bleed is davert, she's dottered and auld.Abd.(D) c.1750 R. Forbes Jnl. from London (1755) 32:
Ye ken well enough, we, bein wet, wou'd soon grow davert to stand or sit either in the cauld that time o' night.Abd.(D) 1915 H. Beaton Back o' Benachie 126:
Feet and hands were in the “deid thraw” or “dauvert,” so that when the washers reached home and put them in warm water, they “dirl't” and “stoon't.”

(3) Used in imprecations = confound (Lnk.³ (for Lth. and Lnk.), Kcb.¹⁰ 1940; Dmf. 1825 Jam.², 1894 J. Shaw in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 145, daiver, 1925 W. A. Scott Ib. 23, devert). Also daver-ma-skin, See quot. s.v. Clever, adj., 7.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe 196:
“Dever't,” he exclaimed, when he saw his absence of mind.w.Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne 53:
I was switherin' an wonnerin' hoo to begin, when, dod deavert, he sterted first.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., obs.:
Dod (or dad) daver ee! [also dever.]

II. n. A stunning blow or fall (Kcb.⁸ c.1916). Also found in Nhb. dial. (E.D.D.).Lnk. 1816 G. Muir Clydesd. Minstrelsy 4:
Owre a whin bus' he got an unco dever.