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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

FLAFFER, v., n.

I. v., tr. and intr. To flutter, flap (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif. 1951); to make a fluttering noise, to lap, of water; to palpitate, throb. Ppl.adj. flaff'rin (Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 89); deriv. flafferie, light, easily compressible (Lnk. 1825 Jam.), empty-headed (Abd.¹⁵ 1928).Ags. 1794 Session Papers, Arbuthnott v. Scott (11 March 1795) 163:
A little water flaffering through the stones on the top of the dike.Abd. 1797 Aberdeen Mag. 349:
Fan waes my heart!- — its wings begude to shak', An' flaffer sae, my heart was like to brak'.Sc. 1830 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 375:
A mere castle in the air, . . . payin nae taxes, it'ill be flaffered awa to the Back o' Beyond outower the mountain taps.e.Lth. 1887 P. McNeill Blawearie 19:
Jock Lowrie lap tae the cluds yestreen, An, flaffered aboot like a feather.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet xxxvii.:
Jock, that can eat a wamefu' o' green heather-taps wi' the dew on them like a bit flafferin' grouse bird.Rxb. 1901 W. Laidlaw Poetry and Prose 60:
The auld anes, flaffering on their wings, Were screaming as if us to chide.Bch. 1934 Abd. Univ. Review (March) 124:
Nae car could gae fleein' on like that. It's like the flafferin o' some muckle bird.

II. n. A fluttering, flapping motion (Sc. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Ags., Fif. 1951).wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan II. 77:
He'll gie a bit flaffer wi' his wings now and then.Bnff. 1869 W. Knight Auld Yule 123:
But whan I lookit, quiet was the nicht — Ye wadna heard the flaffer o' a bird.Sc. 1883 J. Kennedy Poems (1920) 36:
An' round thee may ilk gladsome thing Light as the flaffer o' thy wing Aye keep thee blythe.