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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NAIRRA, adj. Also nairrow (Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 50), -ey, -ih, nairroo (Cai. 1932 John o' Groat Jnl. (18 Dec.)), naira(w), -(e)y, nairra (Bnff., Abd., Ags., Edb., Dmf.), nerra Arg., Ayr.; nerro Ork., Cai. 2000s). Also n.nerrow (Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 4; Cai. 1922 J. Horne Poems 52), nerrie (Lnk. 1928 W. C. Fraser Yelpin' Stane 116), nerra (Lnk. 1890 H. Muir Rutherglen 100); narra (Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 63), narry (Fif. 1937 St Andrews Cit. (4 Dec.) 3). Also n. Hence nairaness (Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 25). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. narrow. See P.L.D. § 48.1 (2). Adv. nairrowly. [′nerə]

Sc. forms:wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 42:
An' their beady een are peeled for ither folk's slips
Or stumbles, backsliding's aff the straight and narra. Sc. 1991 R. Crombie Saunders in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 30:
The mither lat flee her Bible
Straucht at his narra face:
"An wad ye be a riever
And bring us this damned disgrace?" Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 17:
I've seen prood men come steppin ben
This kirkyaird, swankin saucy.
A nerra staa awytes them aa:

Sc. usages:

1. As in Eng., in Phr. and Combs.: (1) narrow bent, see Bent, n.¹, 3. (6); (2) nairra-boukit, thin, lean (Abd., Ags., Per. 1963); (3) narrow-nebbed, -nebbit, (i) sharp-nosed (Uls. 1953 Traynor); (ii) fig., bigoted, prejudiced, esp. in religious matters, strict, easily offended (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1963); (4) nairrowly-nippitness, see Nippit.(4) Sc. 1899 Mont.-Fleming 103:
A “narrow-nebbit”, or a “nippit”, teetotaler is a common expression.

2. Tight-fisted, stingy, parsimonious (wm.Sc. 1931 Gsw. Herald (14 Feb.); Sh., ne., e. and wm.Sc., Kcb., Rxb., Uls. 1963).Sc. 1731 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) IV. 262:
Ther is much talk of a man . . . who hath left ten thousand pounds to a Hospitall at Aberdeen. He was exceeding narrou, they say, and hard to his relations.Sc. 1748 Session Papers, Earl of Morton v. Muirhead (21 Nov.) 4:
His Grandfather was a very narrow man, and therefore presumed not to have squandered away the Effects of his Grandchild.Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals iii.:
He was a narrow ailing man, and his maiden-sister, Miss Girzie, was the scrimpetest creature that could be.Edb. 1827 M. & M. Corbett Odd Volume 247:
He's unco hard too, as narrow as a penny ribbon.Fif. 1896 D. S. Meldrum Grey Mantle 244:
He was near, though, i' the money way. A ceevil en'uch man, but nairey, nairey.m.Sc. 1932 O. Douglas Priorsford xxviii.:
She's a dacent cratur', but a wee thing narrow!

Comb.: narrow-be(-)gaun, -be-going (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein), nairra-begaun (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh., Abd., Kcd., Fif., s.Sc. 1963), nairrih- (Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 15), id., formed on analogy with near-begaun s.v. Near.Slk. 1875 Border Treasury (15 May) 477:
A wheen puir, silly, contrackit, narrow-begaun, cadgin craters.