Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
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.
JUMPER, n. Sc. usages:
†1. One of the long wooden arms of a fulling-mill which rise and fall in beating the cloth.Bnff. 1880 J. F. S. Gordon Chron. Keith 68:
Meddling with the sluices and setting all the “jumpers” agoing.
2. The large marble aimed at in the game of Ringie (Fif. 1959).
3. A type of stake-net in which the leader, q.v., is not held down by stakes, but can rise with the tide (Bnff. 1964).
4. A dolphin. Also in abbrev. form jum (Inv. 1911 Buchan Observer (10 April 1962) 7). Cf. lowper-dog s.v. Lowp, n., v. B. 1. Deriv. (e). Inv.1911Buchan Observer (10 April 1962) 7:
Jumpers hes a flat tail. An' it's wi' the tail they hit the water when they jump.