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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡SCAR, adj., n., v. Also scaur, scarr(e), skar(r); skair, sker(r). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. scare. See also Skeer. [skɑr, sker]

I. adj. 1. Timid, easily frightened, shy, not very approachable, wild, apt to run away, esp. of animals (Sc. 1808 Jam., n.Sc. Id., skair; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., sker; Ayr. 1923 Wilson D. Burns 183; Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1969). Comb. skairlike, -leukin, having a timorous look (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 156, 230). Deriv. scaury, id.ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems 84:
He [a horse]'s neither gaady, wood nor scar.Sh. c.1733 T. Gifford Hist. Descr. (1879) 78:
That none keep scar sheep, except it be in the holms or nesses.Ayr. 1785 Burns Address to Deil iii.:
Thou's neither lag nor lame, Nor blate nor scaur.n.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 294:
As skittish and scare as a deer.Bwk. 1823 A. Hewit Poems 126:
Night was comin' made them scaury.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie x.:
[He] staggers hame in braid daylight, Bleerit, blin' and scaur.Abd. 1861 J. Davidson Poems 44:
Ho, timid hare, why thus so scare?Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
But noo I am douce, dowie, dweeble an' skair.

2. Untidy, unkempt, haggard-looking (Cai.⁸ 1934, skerr).

II. n. A fright, scare (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Ork., Kcb. 1969); something which causes fright (Sc. 1882 Jam.). Deriv. scarsem [ < -some], horrible, frightful.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxxviii.:
They're a scaur to unlearned folk like me.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 74:
But howlets, glens, nor bogly burns could be A scar to me, whan Jean I hoped to see.Kcb. 1828 W. McDowall Poems 19:
But hoolie, fish, on your return, I fear ye'll get a scar.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 24:
Oor left lugs noo will get a scaur — The crack is growin' waur an' waur.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 68:
I niver got sich a scaur in a' my life.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 112:
Gid gaoo! sic a scarsem sarro!Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 203:
Were there nae de'il ava, Or some siccan scaur.

III. v. 1. To scare, frighten, put to flight (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 93; Sc. 1882 Jam.; Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–6 Wilson; Arg. 1931; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Ork., em.Sc. (a), Ayr., Kcb., Wgt. 1969). Vbl.n. scarrin, a fright.Sc. 1709 W. Steuart Collections ii. iv. § 14:
This doctrinal debarring may scar such from partaking.Sc. 1747 Caled. Mercury (7 Dec.):
Two Horses in a Chaise were scarr'd by two Drums beating up in St. Mary's Wynd.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 70:
Some wi' mutches that might scar Craws frae their meat.Ayr. 1786 Burns Death and Dr Hornbook xiii.:
Mony a scheme in vain's been laid, To stap or scaur me.Sc. 1796 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 55:
Ablins the cause o' reformation haes gien a' scarrin.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxvi.:
The noise that scarr'd us awa.Sc. 1832 Fraser's Mag. (June) 573:
A' clean skaured awa' by the blessed light o' the Sun of Righteousness!Per. 1835 R. Nicoll Poems 153:
But there's ower mony lasses, An' wooers are scaur'd.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 38:
I wud set her up tae scar craws aff the prittaes.Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters xxv.:
He never met what scaured him!Kcb. 1912 W. Burnie Poems 99:
The weak and the timid to scaur.Ork. 1929 Old-Lore Misc. IX. ii. 76:
Da stoopid amiter o' a maister waas stootly skarred wi' siccan a feralie.

Hence sca(u)r-craw, scarre-, scare-crow, lit. and fig. (wm.Sc. 1882 Jam.).Sc. 1704 A Letter dropt in the Street 1:
The rueful remembrance of the Church of Scotland's Ruin this way before the year Sixty, may be a Sear-Crow and a Monitor to you.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 54:
Like scar-craws new ta'en down frae woodies.Sc. 1823 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 205:
The duds on his back was fitter to busk a scaur-craw.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 254:
Naething mair than a auld scarrecraw.Hdg. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 189:
The duddies o' scaur-craws an' hags!

2. To take fright, become alarmed, run away in fear, bolt (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Cai. (skerr), Lth., Wgt. 1969); tr. to shie away from, avoid; intr. to turn away in disgust (Ork. 1969). Comb. skar-gait, of a horse: easily startled in traffic (Rnf. 1825 Jam.). See Gate.ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems 76:
At Midmar he will not scar.Sc. 1729 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) IV. 91:
The servants talked of aparitions, but hoped he would not scarr.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 119:
Lindy scares at lasses, when they woo.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 99:
A' body at the Kirk will skair.Sc. 1823 Scott St Ronan's W. xxviii.:
It's the wanton steed that scaurs at the windle-strae.Abd. 1861 J. Davidson Poems 43:
I trow the “iron horse wad scare” As he gaes snorting past.Ork. 1920:
I clean skar 'im for he's loosy.