Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HINGER, n. Also henger, hingger, hingar. Sc. forms and usages = Eng. hanger. [′hɪŋər]
1. pl. Hangings; (bed) curtains (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., hengers; ‡Sh., Abd., Bwk. 1957).Slg. 1772 Edb. Ev. Courant (3 Aug.):
A Four-wheel'd Chaise, with four glasses and silk hingers.Sc. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads I. 50:
I'll put gowd hingers roun' your cage, And siller roun' your wa'.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 65:
Some o' that artifeeshal muzzlin for hingers to the windows.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (21 Jan.):
Shü cam but ower da fluer carryin ane o' da bed hinggers apon her airm.
2. Dangling ornaments on a horse's harness (m.Lth.1 1957).
3. Combs.: ¶(1) hingars-at-lugs, earrings; (2) hinger-in, one who perseveres, a conscientious hard-working person (Cai., ne.Sc., Ags., m.Lth., Peb., Kcb. 1957). Cf. hing in s.v. Hing, I. 7. (4).(1) Abd. 1875 G. Macdonald Malcolm xli:
Bein' a jeedge o' hingars-at-lugs an' sic vainities.(2) Dmf. 1914 J. L. Waugh Cracks wi' R. Doo 88:
“Robert”, I've often said to mysel', “dinna be a hanger-on; be a hinger-in”, and a hinger-in I've been.
4. In Mining: the rock overlying the coal-seam, cf. Eng. hanger, id. (Fif. 1975). Dmf. 1921 T. G. Gracie Songs 49:
An' then the ruif is far owre low, wi' the hinger hingin' doon.
