Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1724, 1789-1813, 1900-1922, 1998
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DOTTER, v. and n. Also †dottar, dotther (Uls.). Cf. Doiter.
1. v. To walk unsteadily, to stagger; to shake, nod (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.; Uls.2 1929, dotter). Ppl.adj. dotterin'. Also in Eng. dial. ¶Used tr. in second quot.Sc. 1724 in Ramsay Evergreen I. 213:
In brief ther, with Grief ther I dottard owre on Sleip.Sc. a.1813 A. Murray Hist. Eur. Langs. (1823) I. 455:
He dottered my hand, is he shook it by a little push.Per. 1900 E.D.D.:
Auld Jock Tamson's gettin frail an' dotters at every other step.Gall. 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 17:
For when that I come to the bank, Or dottren owre yon dirty stank.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 113:
Willie dottart by himsel Among the hens.w.Dmf. 1921 J. L. Waugh Heroes 17:
Gee up, you daverin', dotterin' auld fule.
Hence (1) dotterin' Davie, "a spinning-top that jumps about as it spins" (Ags.17 1940); (2) dotthery, unsteady, bemused from drink; enfeebled in mind, senile (Bnff., Dmb., Rnf., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s).(2) wm.Sc. 1998 Alan Warner The Sopranos (1999) 177:
Aye, family from hell right enough, but ah tell you, Manda's dottery.Uls. 1901 A. M'Ilroy in North. Whig:
When a man is not drunk but on the way thereto he is said to "have a drap in" Or to be "a bit dotthery."
2. n. A stagger, a stumbling movement.Per. 1900 E.D.D.:
Tam Sinclair's taen sic a tout that he canna gang without a dotter.Uls. 1922 "Lynn Doyle" Lobster Salad 37:
"Look at it," sez he, makin' a dotther towards her, an' thrippin' over a wee stool.
