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.
Quotation dates: 1787-1814, 1865-1999
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DIFFER, v., n., adj.
1. v. †(1) tr. To cause disagreement between.Sc. 1814 C. I. Johnstone Saxon and Gael i. 79:
For as gude and as bonny as she is, if maister Angis and her mak it up, I'se ne'er be the man to differ them.
(2) intr. To disagree, dispute; to quarrel (Bnff.2, Abd.2, Ags.2, Fif.10 and Kcb. correspondents 1940; m.Dmf.3 c.1920). Also in Eng. dial.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xi.:
"But wunnin ye tak' a starn yersel?" asked the stranger. "Weel — aw dinna differ. I'se tell the grieve 't we wus tryin' the quality."
2. n.
(1) A difference, dissimilarity. Gen.Sc. Occas. in pl. with sing. sense.Sh. 1918 T. Manson Humours Peat Comm. I. 60:
Dis is a big differ fae my aald mare an da peerie cairt.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 66:
"Shae saa thee fiss in the mirror."
"Weel, whit's the differ?"
"Thir's a hipp o' differ. Shae saa thee fiss, bit shae didno ken thoo wur aboothands." Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes I. xxi.:
He mind't him o' Balaam's ass, Wi' a differ ye may ken.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood 356:
There's no half a mile differ in the roads.Ayr. 1787 Burns Unco Guid (Cent. ed.) iii.:
But cast a moment's fair regard, What makes the mighty differ?Ayr. 1889 H. Johnston Glenbuckie 49, 245:
Weel or ill mak's little differs to Mysie. . . . What will the neighbours think o' a house that mak's no differs between common days o' the week and Sabbath-days?Ayr. 1990s:
She's as near stane deif as maks nae differ.Kcb. 1894 S. R. Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet xxvii.:
The hale differ atween a freendly turn up wi' the wife . . . an' what ye micht ca' a onpleesantness.
(2) A difference of opinion, a quarrel (Sh.10, Ags.19, Fif.16 1949).Sc. 1887 Jam.6 Add.:
They had an angry differ about their father's siller.Sc. 1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona viii.:
Either come to an agreement, or come to a differ."em.Sc.(a)"" 1895 "I. Maclaren" Auld Langsyne 26:
Juist some bit differ wi' the new factor aboot leavin' his kirk an' jining the lave o' us in the Auld Kirk.Gsw. 1873 A. G. Murdoch Lilts 102:
Differs domestic hae ruffl'd the mind.
¶3. adj. Different.Hdg. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 168:
Hence our star-gazing loom we niffer For ane that shaws things unco differ.
