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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FICHER, v., n. Also fucher; fuccher (Bnff. 1927 Banffshire Jnl. (31 May)), fecher (Abd. 1932 D. Campbell Bamboozled 18). [′fɪçər, Bch. + ′fʌxər]

I. v. To fumble, fiddle with the fingers in an awkward, nervous or meddlesome manner (Sh., ne.Sc., Ags. 1951); in gen., to work in a footling or trivial way (Abd., Lth. 1825 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 46; ne.Sc. 1951); to handle (a woman) indelicately (Abd. 1825 Jam.; Sh., Bnff., Abd., Ags. 1951) with wi; specif. in thatching a rick, to manœuvre each vertical rope into position by jerking it up and down and sideways between the thatcher on the rick and his assistant on the ground (Bnff.⁷ 1927; Abd. 1951). Also ppl.adj. ficherin. Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 96:
[She] set an' fichert at her frull, An' still the glass she eyes.Bch. 1832 W. Scott Poems 140:
An' lang he fucher'd back an' fore To fix the button.ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 68:
Roon the steadin' Willie fichert, Makin' needless errands in.Bnff. 1906 Rymour Club Misc. I. 28:
We ficher nane here wi' the heuk The scythe slashes mair doon in ae day.Bch. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 1:
Ficherin' wi' a futlie-beelin', Scrubbin' hard a skirlin' soo.Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 129:
Every Monday he fichered aboot with the knobs, until he tuned intae the auld woman talking. Abd. 1996 Norman Harper and Robbie Shepherd Anither Dash O' Doric 16:
'Fit wye div ye nivver tell me ye love me, Wullie?'
'Look, I really love ye, a'richt?'
'Wullie, if ye still really love me, fit wye div ye nivver ficher wi me noo?' Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 61:
At ae time, wioot seemin tae gee masel, I fichered wi the keekin glaiss, sae I nae langer saw the road ahint, bit cud spy yon pairt o the seat far they war restin their hauns. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 17:
He wis as fu o music, Francie, as ony kist o fussles - his ficherin fingers an taes cud tap time tae ony tune like a metronome.

II. n. 1. A fiddling, inept way of working (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 46; Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1942); one who works in this way (Gregor; Abd. 1951).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 46:
He keepit sic a ficher at a'thing it he tried, it a ga' 'im's leave.

2. Excessive or awkward handling; “indelicate toying with a female” (Id.; ne.Sc. 1951).

3. A state of fuss or excitement (Abd.²⁷ 1951).Abd.¹⁵ 1928:
He wis in a sad fucher wi' the stem mull comin on him, an' him cudna get secks tae haud the corn.

Adj. ficherie, fussy, fiddling, of persons or tasks (Abd. 1951).