Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1704-1743, 1827-1868, 1947-1992
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NEIR, n. Also neer, near, nere, nare, nir (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)), and aphetic forms eer, ear (Watson). Gen. in pl. A kidney, esp. of an animal (w.Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 17; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 363; Dmf., Lth. 1825 Jam., ears; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; I. and n.Sc. 1964); by extension, the loin. Now only dial. in Eng. [ni:r]Sc. 1704 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 354:
Cheats and ears . . . 3sh 8d.ne.Sc. a.1725 Habbyac on A. Ramsay 6:
Thou'll fidge, an fyck, an claw thy Niers, An skirl, and wyak.Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 153:
And to busk the young Lambs Eers with his Fat.Sc. 1827 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) X. 248:
I remember often hearing of a calfs neir being got for dinner.Abd. 1868 G. Macdonald R. Falconer v.:
I would like a dish o' your chits and nears.Sh. 1947 Sh. Folk Bk. I. 71:
We'd spaarls an' neers, reestid tees an' skenk hochs.Abd. 1950 Huntly Express (1 Dec.):
A cavalcade of garron ponies with the whisky kegs slung over the “neers” of the ponies.Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 170:
When he phoned the vet Johnnie told him to put a sack on her nares, which meant over her back and rump.
Combs.: 1. (n)eer-fat, the fat around an animal's kidneys (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., eer; Sh. 1964). Also in n.Eng. dial.; 2. near-leather, = Ear-leather, q.v. (Per., Lth. 1920; Rnf. 1950); 3. neir-speck, = 1. (Sh. 1964). Cf. speck, blubber; ‡4. (n)ear-strap, a strap in a horse's harness, passing over the loins, = 2. (Sc. 1887 Jam.; Abd., Rnf. 1950); 5. neer-string, one of the ducts connected with the kidneys (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 363); 6. neer-tallon, = 1. (Sh. 1964). See Tallon.
[O.Sc. nere, from a.1400, Mid.Eng. nere, Mid. Du. niere, M.L.Ger. nere. Cf. Norw. dial. nyra, O.N. nýra, id. The aphetic forms are from wrong division in association with the indef. art.]
