Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1736, 1799-1894
[0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
DULL, adj., n. Sc. usages.
1. adj. Deaf, hard of hearing (Sc. 1779 J. Beattie Scoticisms 5, 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen. in phr. dull o(f) hearing, id. Also in Eng. dial. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1736 Crim. Trials illustrative of “H. Midlothian” (1818) 182:
He has been as dull of hearing these seven years past.Sc. 1799 H. Mitchell Scotticisms 30:
When a man does not hear well, the Scotch think it genteel to call him dull rather than deaf.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet xx.:
What! are ye ower grand to give me an answer, or are ye dull o' hearing!Mry. 1865 W. H. L. Tester Poems 194:
Gar the dull gowk hear . . . For he's dead-deaf they say.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick xx.:
I'm gey dull o' hearin, an' my sicht's failin me.Ayr. 1870 J. K. Hunter Life Studies 274:
Being a wee dull o' hearing.
†2. n. A slack period (in trade).Ayr. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 V. 372, Note:
Many of the weavers have been thrown idle, and reduced to a state of starvation. What they call a dull has set in.
