A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456, 1513, 1595, 1693
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Chirming, Chyrmyng, vbl. n. [Late ME. (Caxton), f. the vb.] Chirping, chattering. 1456 Hay II. 64/35.
He dois evin as a juge that … jugis … be the chirmyng of foulis, or be the berking of doggis, and syk lyke thing 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 70.
Smale byrdis, … In chyrmyng and with cheping changit thar sang 1595 Duncan Appendix.
Augur, a gesser be the chirming of birds, ‘ab avium garritu’ 1693 Urquhart Rabelais iii. xiii.
The … chirming of linets, croaking of ravens, screeching of owls
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"Chirming vbl. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/chirming_vbl_n>
