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: 1714-1741, 1825-1949
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GOOR, n., v. Also gur(r), gure, †gour, †gor(e). [ne.Sc. gu:r; I.Sc., Cai. gʌr, gor]
I. n. Slimy dirt or filth of any kind:
1. Mucus, waxy matter, esp. rheum gathered in the corners of the eyes (Sc. 1808 Jam., gore; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), gor; Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 151, gur; Abd.4 1932; Sh., Ork., Cai., Ags. 1954); wax in the ear (Ork. 1929 Marw., gurr). Also in Dev. dial.Sc. 1714 W. Fraser Hist. Carnegies (1867) 284:
Tho' your eyes does nott appear red yett, the gore and stifness comes from a watery humour.Sc. 1741 A. Monro Anat. Nerves 48:
The Gum, or Gore, as we call it, was separated in greater Quantity, . . . and the Eye-ball itself was diminished.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 82:
I wis kinda raamished, an' wisna gotten da gurr oot o' me een.
2. Mud, dirt (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., gur; Sh., Mry., Kcd. 1954); muddy, stagnant water, sediment (Bnff., Abd. 1954). Also in Eng. (mainly n.) dial.Abd. 1865 William Alexander The Laird of Drammochdyle (1986) 69:
... full't wi' the ironeery goor to the vera tap nar han', ... Bnff. 1876 Trans. Bnff. Field Club (1939) 61:
I went down to Bomakelloch the road being one foot of Gour and Slush.Bnff.6 c.1920:
When the obstruction was removed, a volume of goor came rolling out of the drain.
Hence goorie, adj., muddy, squelchy, slimy (Mry.1 1925; Mearns 6 1954).Abd. 1932 R. L. Cassie Sc. Sangs 31:
Seg an' cats'-tail spread a net Owre an ourie, goorie bit, Fleer't wi' fog aye fickle.
3. Slush, half-melted snow (Mry.1 1925; Sh., Bnff., Abd. 1954), used only of the broken ice and soft snow on running water (Gregor; Per. 1909 Scotsman (10 May), gure).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 68:
The goor's comin' doon the burn noo, for ass short's the thow's been.
4. Slimy matter scraped from fish (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Ork. 1929 Marw.; Sh.10 1954); fish refuse such as collects in the bottom of a fishing-boat (Mry.1 1925, goor). Also gouries in combs. fish-gouries (Mearns 1880 Jam.), salmon-, and goorie (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; Abd. 1954). Adj. goory.Abd. 1825 Jam.:
The refuse of the intestines of salmon is still called salmon gouries, and used as bait for eels.Bch. 1949 W. R. Melvin Poems 36:
Tae wash their goory, weety claes.
5. "The dark haze which descends over a burn or stream when night is falling giving the water a dark gloomy appearance, referred to by fishermen as 'the goor comin' ower the water'" (Abd.28 1947).
6. Weeds (Abd.8 c.1920, rare).Cai. 1916 T.S.D.C. II.:
A farmer coming to a new croft described his land as being "foo o' goilk an' gore, soo-thirsel, day nettle an' a' manner o' trash."
‡II. v. 1. tr. To defile with mud (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).
2. intr. (1) Of streams: to become choked up with snow and ice following a thaw (Abd. 1952).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 68:
The burn's beginnin' t' goor.Abd. 1923 Swatches o' Hamespun 19:
He forgot the burn wis fell wide, an' geylies goort up.
(2) To do dirty work, to mess about.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 82:
He's med for sunteen clean, An no ta gurr in parafeen, Black-saep an trash.
