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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COORLY, Kooerly, adj.

1. Cowardly, timid.Ork.(D) 1908 J. T. S. Leask in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. I. viii. 322:
Jock o' the Geo waas a trowie coorly ting.
Ork. 1929 Marw. s.v. kolo:
Kooerly, kooerly — claa me nail, I'm a man, but thoo're a snail.

2. Miserly, stingy.Ib. s.v. kokk:
Kooerly, kooerly — kokk-a-pen, Gae a gift, an' sought again.

[Origin uncertain. Perhaps from cooardly (see Cooard) with d dropped in rapid speech, or perhaps from Coor, v.1, to cringe (cf. coory s.v.).]

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