Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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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.
CHIVER, v. A Sc. form (now obs.) of Eng. shiver. The ch forms have been obs. in Eng. since 16th cent. (N.E.D.). Found only as ppl.adj. chiverin, chivery in combs. (see quots.). [′tʃɪvər, ′tʃɪ̢vər]Sc. 1887 Jam.6:
Boys call their bit of bread after bathing, their chiverin piece, or chiverin chow; corr. into chivery chow.Abd. 1852 A. Robb Poems 130:
We rip'd our pouches aye for bread, To be a chiv'rin chow.
[O.Sc. chiver, chyver, to shiver with cold, 1513 (D.O.S.T.); Mid.Eng. chiverin, to shiver, quake, from 13th cent. (Stratmann). The Mod.Sc. is an interesting survival of the older form as above. The Mod.Eng. form is due to the influence of shake (see N.E.D.). Ultimate origin of chiver uncertain.]
