Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
KEEGER, v., n. Also kweeger, k(w)igger; kweecher, queecher, -ir, quicher, queigher. [′k(w)igər, ′k(w)ɪg-, ′kwiçər]
I. v., tr. and intr. To mix up messily, to mess about, to work in a slovenly, dirty or ineffective way, to puddle, potter (Abd. 1903 E.D.D., Abd. 1959). Hence ppl.adj. kiggerin, queecherin, inefficient at work, slovenly, messy as in preparing food (Abd. 1959).Abd. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.:
Noo, Johnnie, dinna kigger your potage that way.Abd. c.1914 G. Greig Folk-Song cxxxvi.:
O weary on the barley bree, an' weary fa' the widder; For it's keegerin' amon' dubs an' drink they gyang na weel thegidder.Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 66:
“Gin we hid bit a puckle tatties tae roast amo' the ase, or a raw neep tae humsch at.” “Sanna queechir wi' sic trash!”Abd.15 1954:
A kweecherin han'less quinie, her fingers a' thooms, she's for ever lattin fa' a dish.
II. n. A mess, untidy mixture, muddle, conglomeration (Abd.6 1910, k(w)igger, Abd. 1959).Abd. 1931 Abd. Press & Jnl. (18 Feb.):
The Scotch gamekeeper sums up the situation thus: “There's mickle of us have had a narrow escape the morn.” . . . This is the kind of keeger that some folks call Scotch.Abd.5 1939:
Dinna tak it [rissole]. It's jist a keeger o' the streen's scraps.
