Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1921-1936
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DABBER, Dauber, n.2 [′dɑbər, ′dǫbər]
1. A large kind of marble.Rxb. 1921 Kelso Chron. (11 Nov.) 4/4:
Then our games of marbles . . . What slaughter we wrought with our big black dabbers! .Borders 1936 W. Landles in Border Mag. (April) 59:
The chalky dingin' the dauber, The dauber duntin' the chalk.
2. A player in the game of dab (see Dab, n.1, 4).
3. In phr. dabber-fae-taw, “a good player at marbles, clever fellow” (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 242).
[From Dab, v.1, 2. E.D.D. gives dabbers, common marbles made of clay, for War. and dobber, a large heavy taw or marble, for w.Yks. and Lan.]
