Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BURR, BUR, n.1 [bʌr]
1. A fir-cone (n.Sc. 1808 Jam., bur; Bnff.2 1937).Ags. 1921 A. S. Neill Carroty Broon vi.:
Thereupon he sat on a mound and threw burrs at the girls.
2. “The sea-urchin” (Mry.4 1935; Bnff.2 1937; ne.Abd. 1898 E.D.D.).
3. A kind of fishing fly. Cf. Bur, n.1Ags. 1898 A. H. Rea Divot Dyke 73:
As bonnie a cast o' hooks as ye could see — Heckles, and burrs, and ither kinds o' flee.
4. fig “A strong thick-set person of stubborn temper” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 20).
5. The club-moss, Lycopodium, in combs. creeping bur, Lycopodium clavatum, upright bur, Lycopodium selago (Cai. 1795 J. Sinclair Agric. Cai. 197), so called from its somewhat rough prickly nature.
[N.Fris. burre, borre, a bur, burdock, Sw. borre, a sea-urchin (Skeat); Norw. borre, Dan. burre, the common burdock, Sw. dial. borre, a stubborn, rough person (Torp).]
