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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
ATTER, ETTER, n. [′ɑtər Sc.; ′ɛtər Rxb.; ′atər Cai.]
1. “Poison, poisonous matter, purulent matter from a sore” (Jam.6 1887 for Clydesdale).w.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Etter. Pus; suppurating matter.
2. “Ill-nature, quarrelsomeness” (D. B. Nicolson in County of Caithness 1907).
[Mid.Eng. atter, O.E. attor, shortened form of ātor, poison. Cogn. O.N. eitr, poison, bitterness, malice. Derivatives from these two have sometimes influenced each other. Cf. Attery.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Atter n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/atter_n>
