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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WIRR, v., n., int. Also wur(r), worr. [wɪr, now more commonly wʌr]

I. v. To growl, snarl, of a dog or other animal, jocularly of a person (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 212, wurr; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 276, wurr; ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1974); to fret, whine (Abd. 1825 Jam.). Vbl.n., ppl.adj. wurran, -in, wirrin, growling, snarling; hence as adj. crabbed, sour-tempered (Gregor).Ags. 1793 “Tam Thrum” Look before ye Loup 15:
If your friends wou'dna wirr an' snapper at sic a rate.Ags. 1819 J. Ross Angusshire Chaplet 30:
Or cottage cur at mastiff worr.Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 62:
Wi' heavy branks about his jaws, He girns, and wirrs, and backlings draws.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 49:
Twenty lions wirrin' a' roond aboot him.Abd. 1920 G. P. Dunbar Peat Reek 18:
Saftly he wirrs fin I whisper my plan [a poacher to his dog].Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxii.:
You an' yer wurrin tike.

II. n. 1. The growl of a dog (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 210–2, wirr, wurr; Sc. 1880 Jam.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1974); the angry noise of a cat.Abd. 1794 W. Farquhar Poems 184:
Ony curr, That ever lickit iron pot, Or ga'e a wirr.Ags. 1892 Arbroath Guide (13 Feb.) 3:
Princie gae vent to an ill-natured wurr.Abd. 1993:
E cat loupit up wi a great wurr.

2. A fit of bad temper, an angry burst of energy (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 212, wurr); a snappish heated retort (Sc. 1880 Jam.); wrath in gen. Phr. ¶to thraw one's wur, to give vent to anger.Fif. 1890 A. Burgess Poute 26:
But nevir mind, nor thraw yer wur.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Sangs 59:
Gray wa's, an' strong, that's stuid sae weel The wirr o' man, the brunt o' Time.

3. A crabbed, cantankerous, peevish, diminutive person (Abd., Kcd. 1825 Jam.), a ‘spitfire'.

III. int. A word used to incite dogs to fight (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 212, wurr).