Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GURR, n.¹, v. Also girr (Sh.), and reduplicative gur(r)-gurr. [gʌr]

I. n. 1. The growl or snarl of a dog (Cai. 1900 E.D.D.; Sh., n.Sc., Ags., Fif., Ayr., Gall., s.Sc. 1955). Also of any similar sound.m.Lth. 1815 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 22:
He saw nothing, but heard voices of two men, and the gurr of a dog, as if turning sheep.Sc. 1834 T. Pringle African Sk. 79:
The panther round the folded flocks With stifled gurr is prowling.Kcb. 1898 Crockett Standard Bearer i.:
The dogs slunk behind with, however, many little protesting “gurrs.”Ags. 1929 Holyrood (Hamilton) 175:
The gurr o' the bellows and the glint o' the lowe. Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 18:
Bit fyles yer birss begins to rise
An rummlins fae yer thrapple birl
Wi fearsome gurr an feerious dirl
Like thunner rivin simmer skies.

2. A rough pronunciation, a strong trilling of the letter r.Ayr. 1895 J. Veitch G. D. Brown (1952) 87:
There's a grand Scotch “gurr” there — a ringin' dirl in the words that gangs straucht to the heart o' a man.

II. v. 1. To growl, to snarl (of a dog or like a dog) (Lth., Bwk., Lnk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Sh., n.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Ayr., Gall., Rxb. 1955). Also vbl.n. gurrin. Also fig.Cld. 1818 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 155:
We thocht we saw something white in the buss, an' heard it gurr gurran like a dog shoran to bite.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck I. 12:
His dog Keilder fell a gurrin' an' gurrin', as he had seen something that he was terrified for.Sc. 1859 J. Brown Rab and his Friends (1862) 34:
He was aye gur gurrin' and grup gruppin' me by the legs.Sc. 1887 Stevenson Underwoods 110:
Straucht, at the name, a trusty tyke, My conscience girrs ahint the dyke.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 43:
John Platt sent a “gurring” thrill through the train as he put his brakes hard down.Abd. 1916 G. Abel Wylins 92:
An' sae he gurred an' mauled at lairge — Rampagin Weelum.Sc. 1931 J. Lorimer Red Sergeant xxv.:
“Ah!” I gurred, like a dog birsling at prospect of a fight. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 42:
Efter the class hid lined up like a raw o penguins, Miss McTavish roared an gurred at them a fyle: ... Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 65:
Throwoot ma bairnhood, ma lugs war niver quat o the clickin an chimin an whurrin an gurrin o clocks, aa set bi Faither. m.Sc. 1999 Rachel Yule in Moira Burgess and Donny O'Rourke New Writing Scotland 17: Friends and Kangaroos 159:
That was the sign for me tae gurr
Deep doon in ma thrapple;
Ma birse rose an ma fangs flashed.
They louped back, teeth chatterin.
'He's a one man dog,' my old boy smirked.

2. To purr as a cat (Abd. 1825 Jam.). Cf. Curr, v.¹