Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

EAR, n. Sc. usages in phrs.: 1. to gie an ear tae, to listen for a warning sound or the like, e.g. of a baby crying (Ork., Edb. 1975); † 2. to go by the ears, to start fighting, to set on one another; 3. to hear one's ears, to hear oneself speak (m.Lth.¹, Arg.³, Rnf. (per wm. Sc.¹), Ayr.⁹, Uls.⁴ 1949).2. Rnf. 1716 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876–8) II. 114:
He saw . . . they went by the ears and beat one another, . . . and saw them both blooding.3. Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl. Ant. & Dwn.:
There was sich a tar'ble noise A couldn't hear ma ears.Ant. 1892 Ballymena Obs. (E.D.D.):
Be quate, weans, A canny hear my ears for you.