Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BLAWORT, BLAWART, BLAW-WORT, BLAWIRT, BLAEWORT, -WART, BLUART, Blewart, n. [′blɑwərt, ′blewərt, blæwərt, ′bluərt]
1. The harebell, Campanula rotundifolia.Sc. 1832–1846 J. Crawford in Whistle-Binkie, Songs for the Nursery (1846) 56:
The song of nature's happiness Is heard o'er meadows green, And opening to the fresh'ning breeze The blawart's bell is seen.Lnk. 1825 Jam.2:
Blawort. This name is given to the Round-leaved Bellflower.Lnk. 1832 W. Patrick Indigenous Plants of Lanarksh. 119:
This [the Round-leaved Bellflower] is the Blawart or Blue bell of Scotland.ne., s.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Blaewort . . . the harebell. Also blaewart.
2. The corn bluebottle or cornflower, Centaurea cyanus.Sc. 1904 The Gardener in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 219 A vi.:
Your gloves shall be the marygold, All glittering to your hand, Well spread oer wi the blue blaewort That grows in corn-land.Ork. 1806 P. Neill Tour through . . . Ork. and Sh. 39:
The blaw-wort, or blue-bottle . . . here shewed its flowers among the flax.Abd. 1920 Anon. Gleanings Deeside Par. II. 11, blaewart; Ags. 1848 W. Gardiner Flora of Forfarsh. 107, blawort; Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 57, blawirt; w.Dmf. 1899 J. Shaw Country Schoolmaster 326, blawart; Rxb. 1885 J. Thomson Doric Lays and Lyrics (2nd ed.) 14, blaewart.
3. The Germander Speedwell, Veronica chamædrys.Slk. 1823 Hogg When the Kye Comes Hame in Blackw. Mag. XIII. 598:
When the bluart bears a pearl, And the daisy turns a pea. [Later versions give the spelling blewart.]attrib.Abd.(D) 1867 Mrs Allardyce Goodwife at Home xx.:
I fear ye'll think the colour gyre: They're jist a blawirt blue.Abd. 1900 J. Milne Poems 23:
Sic a reerie ne'er was seen, The din was undevalin; Sic bleedy nizes [noses], blaewort een.
