Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CORNER, n. Also coarner, coarnir.
I. n. Sc. forms of Eng. corner (Sh., Cai., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Rxb. 2000s). Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 13:
Ah wis black affronted gittin a dissy at Boots's coarner. I was really embarassed [sic] when my date didn't show up at or meeting place in the City Centre.Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 1:
Grown men, well intae their hungry thirties, slouchin at coarners, skint as a bairn's knees.Slg. 1994 Janet Paisley in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 29:
... hur answer wisnae repeatable. Except in wan o them modern plays ur oan a back street coarner it nicht.Dundee 1994 Matthew Fitt in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 174:
The young lad skytit roon the coarnir intil the merkat-gate an fleescht it doon the pavement, keekin ahint him as he gaed an neer enough cowpit a barry load o aippuls.Sh. 1994 Laureen Johnson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 167:
I could hear Annie, harkin tae me ida coarner o da haal, "He's caa'd Jack Barnett, Mary. Isn' he just lovely?"m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 37:
Ah don't hiv pals...ah always sit on ma ownsome...in a coarner...at an empty table...m.Sc. 1997 Tom Watson Dark Whistle 61:
"Yeah, peace ah can dae," says rid froack
" - but, strictly, only efter action."
So blue suit gave
Rid dress a wee press,
Then they baith jist
Crumpilt in the coarner.
In phr. to play corners-change-corners, to play at “puss-in-the-corner,” used fig. in quot. = to play fast and loose.Arg. 1898 (4th ed.) N. Munro John Splendid iii.:
You dare not be playing corners-change-corners with religion as you can with the sword of what the ill-bred have called a mercenary.
II. v. See quot.: Rs. 1944 C. M. Maclean Farewell to Tharrus 64:
I'm cornering this afternoon, and you know as well as I do that it will break Rab's heart if he's not here to-morrow to begin harvest with us.
