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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

METHERY, n. A corrupt variant in a child's counting out rhyme of the numeral pethera, four, as used by hill-shepherds in counting sheep. See also Mundheri.Edb. 1906–11 Rymour Club Misc. I. 103:
Eenty, teenty, tethery, methery, Banful, eetful, over, dover.

[Orig. ad. Welsh pedwar, four, the usage deriving from that of Welsh shepherds in N. England a.1600. See also Baombe, Daover, Dek, Hecturi, and P.S.A.S. XLIX. (1915) pp. 276–85.]

18505

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