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.
Quotation dates: 1826-1998
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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).
[Prob. a deriv., in a freq. sense, of Fyke. v., n.1, adj., q.v.]
