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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.

NEEGER, n. Also neegger (Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 303), neegar (Cai. 1951 Edb. John o' Groat Lit. Soc.), neegur (Slk. 1835 Hogg Tales (1874) 708; Edb. 1869 J. Smith Poems 110), neger, ne(e)gre (Sc. 1818 Sawers), neigre (Sc. 1808 Jam.), niegre (Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 72), neggir (Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 593). [′nigər]

1. A negro, gen. with contemptuous force as Eng. nigger (Sh., Cai., Mry., Fif., Lth., Ayr., Kcb., Uls. 1963).

Combs.: ¶(1) niggerhead, a white cowrie shell with a black tip; (2) nigger's gobs, the treacly lumps found in coarse brown sugar (Fif.¹ c.1900); (3) neeger-wheeper, a slavedriver, a relentless taskmaster, a sweater of labour (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Also fig.(1) Sc. 1895 F. A. Steel Red Rowans x.:
“Do you ever find niggerheads about here now?” . . . He took the tiny cowrie of dazzling whiteness she handed him by way of answer.(3) Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 9:
Aa yow yins that's ooreet an oold wui this neeger-wheeper ov a woarlt.

2. A hard unremitting worker, a toiler.Gall. 1899 Crockett Kit Kennedy xxxiv.:
Jock is a fair neeger at baith languages.Cai. 1961 “Castlegreen” Tatties an Herreen' 17:
Slavan' lek a neegur till get through afore 'e rain.

3. A hard-natured, exacting person, one of a reckless disposition (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 118; Kcb. 1963); a savage, barbarous fellow, an oaf, a lout.Sc. 1792 G. Galloway Poems 19:
An illiterate kintra niggar Blest wi' a smart external figure.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xviii.:
He had given her a loundering wi' his cane, the neger that he was.