Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†CUMMER, CUMBER, n.1, v.1
1. n. Used as Eng. cumber in sense of encumbrance, hindrance. The following usages are peculiar to Sc.
(1) The action of troubling, disturbing or embarrassing: used (with possessive pron.) of the agent.Sc. 1828 Scott F. M. Perth xvi.:
Besides all this, the Douglas has left Perth. . . . So the Fair City is quit of him and his cumber.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 202:
Never was sakeless dask o' timmer Sae persecute and put to cummer.
(2) Quarrelling.Kcb. 1896 S. R. Crockett Grey Man xxiv.:
I will go to the length of my tether in eschewing all cummer and bickering, so far as I may.
¶(3) In phr. to be in cummer-room, to be in the position of an intruder, an encumbrance.Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick III. viii.:
An ye think I'm in cummer-room I'll no bode mysel' tae bide.
2. v. To benumb. Found only in ppl.adj. cumbered, cummer'd, benumbed (w.Lth. 1825 Jam.2; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 154, cummer'd). Obs. in Eng. since 15th cent. (N.E.D.).Lnk. 1884 J. Nicholson Willie Waugh 37:
Yer cumert han's at my bit ingle beek.
