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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.

†DREAD(D)OUR, n. and v. Also dred(d)er, dreador, dreidour, drid(d)er, driddour, drither, druther.

1. n. Fear, dread; distrust, suspicion. Rarely in pl. Also in Cor. dial.Sc. 1820 Marmaiden of Clyde in Edb. Mag. (May) 423:
But [my steed] stude an' swat frae head to hufe, Wi' dredder an' wi' fear.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 101–102:
Now Lindy's heart is haflins in a swidder, The wild Savilians put him in sick dridder.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 70:
I hae aye my dridders yet, O' some foul wark that's in the womb o' fate.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 110:
He smiled sae sweet, an' he spak' sae fair, Nae dreidour cam' near her heart.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xi.:
I had aye a dridder that there micht be something o' that kind gaen on.Fif. 1900 “S. Tytler” Jean Keir xv.:
I had aye a drither o' the chap.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. iii.:
“It's no that I have any dreador of doing it,” said Sour Plooms.Slk. 1834 Hogg Mora Campbell (1865) 305:
He . . . saw with dreadour and with doubt, A flame enkindling him about.

Phrs.: (1) to be in a druther, to be in a state of fear or anxiety; (2) to dree a (the) drither, to apprehend the consequences of a rash or wicked action (Ags. 1808 Jam. s.v. dredour).(1) Fif. 1897 “S. Tytler” Lady Jean's Son v.:
She is in a druther about who is to win the case.(2) Ags. 1820 A. Balfour Contemplation 270:
If Watty spake to ane or ither, She gart him dree a waefu' dridder.

2. v. To fear, dread; to hesitate (Ayr. 1825 Jam.², drither).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 13:
An we hadd heal we need na dridder mair, Ye ken we winna be set down sae bare.Abd. after 1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherd (S.T.S.) l.265:
Beside, she dridder'd something 'bout her dream.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
Juist at the period when I was switherin' an' dritherin' ower the fore-mentioned considerations.