Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1718, 1797, 1870, 1922-1951
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MURMUR, v. Sc. usages:
1. In deriv. murmurashen, a murmur, excited clamour, discontented muttering (Sh. 1963). Obs. in Eng.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 94:
Afore we laanded we could hear da murmurashen o' da wives apo' da broo o' da banks.
2. Sc. Law: tr. to complain against, to calumniate, specif. to cast reflection upon the character or integrity of a judge.Sc. 1718 Laws and Judicatures of Scot. 4:
This Author's Business is to decry the Laws of his Country, to murmur (as the Scots Statutes call it) the Judges.Sc. 1797 D. Hume Punishment of Crimes II. 72:
It is an undoubted point of dittay . . . to defame or, as it is termed in our ancient laws, to murmur any magistrate or judge.Sc. 1870 Justiciary Reports (1868–70) 405:
Charged a panel under the statute 1540 cap. 104 with murmuring a judge.Sc. 1938 Scotsman (2 March):
The agent said that he would take whatever legal steps were open to him apart from that court. The Sheriff said that such words must not be used. That was what was termed murmuring in Scots law, and was threatening the judge.Sc. 1951 Scotsman (3 March):
Dorothy Arnold or Gracie appeared in Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday before Sheriff Inglis in connection with an unusual charge of murmuring Judges.
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"Murmur v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/murmur>
