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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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FIR, n. Sc. usages, mostly with special reference to fir wood from stumps dug out of peat-mosses for light or fuel (Bnff. 1715 in J. F. S. Gordon Chron. Keith (1880) 88, Crm. 1852 H. Miller Schools xiii.):

†1. A fir stick used as a candle. See Cannle.Abd. 1813 W. Beattie Parings 31:
Little Pate sits i' the nook, An' but-a-house dare hardly look, But had, and snuff the fir.Abd. 1877 W. Alexander Rural Life 179:
With a blazing "fir" in his hand, to give light for the operations about to commence on the floor below him.

2. Combs.: †(1) fir-candle, = 1. (Abd. 1825 Jam.; Bnff.² 1942); (2) fir cleaver, a small hatchet for splitting fir for candles. See quot. under (7); †(3) fir-crap, a fir-cone (n.Sc. 1808 Jam., s.v. crap); (4) fir-feckit, see Fecket; †(5) fir-futtle, a large broad-bladed knife used for splitting candle-fir (Abd. 1825 Jam.). See Futtle; (6) fir-gown, a coffin (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); (7) fir-gullie, -y, = (5); (8) fir-jacket, a coffin. Cf. (4); (9) fir-stock, the block of fir from which fir candles were made (Bnff.² 1942); (10) fir-tap, a fir-cone (Lnk. 1860; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ayr.⁴ 1928; Fif. 1951); (11) fir tether, a kind of rope made from strips of moss fir plaited together; (12) firwud, a fir wood. Also firwood for fuel or light. Gen.Sc.; (13) fir-yarra, the yarrow or milfoil (Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.), but poss. mare's tail or corn-spurrey is intended; (14) fir-yowe (Kcb. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1951), -ewe (Abd. 1867 Mrs Allardyce Goodwife 9), a fir-cone. Dim. -yowie (ne.Sc. 1951). See Yowe.(1) ne.Sc. 1874 W. Gregor Olden Time 20:
Light was given either by pieces of bog-fir laid on the fire, or by fir-can'les — that is, thin splinters of bog-fir, from one to two and a half or three feet long, fixed in a sort of candlestick, called the peer-man.Sc. 1935 I. Bennett Fishermen ix.:
The ceremony of the fir candle brought prosperity and luck to the young couple.(7) Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
Samie 'imsel' cuttit feckly, bit aifter bit, on a muckle ashet, wi's fir gullie.Abd. 1910 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. III. 98:
The production of fire by artificial means being established, various materials were used for maintaining the light. Among the first was the fir candle. . . . The fir cleaver, fir gully, peer-man, and the kilchin were the articles used for preparing and burning the fir.Abd. 1923 J. R. Imray Village Roupie 10:
A roosty fir gullie — 'twas jimp o' a han'le.(8)Sc. 1891 R.Ford Thistledown 308:
I hae nae notion o' puttin' on a fir-jacket as lang as I can help it.(9) Abd. 1906 Banffshire Jnl. (26 June):
Wha in the aumrie stowed their trock And keepit aye a fine fir stock.(10) Sc. 1736 Mrs McLintock Receipts 44:
Lay them close to an earthern Pot, with a little Dill and Fir-tops.Sc. 1773 Dmf. Weekly Mag. (23 March):
On Saturday last, about seven o'clock at night, a kiln at Camlachie, where fir-tops were a-drying, unluckily took fire.Rxb. 1802 J. Leyden in Scott Minstrelsy II. 345:
The fir-tops fall by Branxholm wall.Edb. 1851 A. Maclagan Sketches 237:
When 'mang the whins an' hedges We marched in whistlin' raws, An' bickered ither wi' fir-taps.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 18:
When the big fir-tap and green mossy nests adorned the leafy June.Fif. 1946 J. C. Forgan Maistly 'Muchty 10:
I'd row in the heather and gether fir taps, Gin I were a laddie again.(11) Abd. 1794 J. Anderson Peat Moss 31:
These ropes of a proper length are sold ready made, under the name of fir tethers.(12) Sc. 1899 W. Andrews Church Life 194:
A lighted slip of fir-wood was whirled three times round the bed [of a new-born child], with the superstitious idea of averting evil influences.Lnk. 1923 G. Rae 'Mang Lowl. Hills 23:
Oh, world o' firwuds, fields, an' great hill-faces! My hairt is yours, an' it evermair will be.(14) Abd. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (30 Jan.):
I wonder how many picture frames there are still in the vicinity, composed in the main of "fir yowes" from the "widdy" in front of Willie Smith's door.