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.
OTTER, n., v.
I. n. 1. In Comb.: otter-pike, the greater weever, Trachinus draco (Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fif. (1803) 127), appar. so-called from the sharp spines on its fins.
2. The barb of a fishing-hook or leister (m. and s.Sc. 1869 Athenaeum (13 March) 382; Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 355; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1964).
3. A piece of fishing-tackle used by poachers of trout or salmon (Gall. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 355; I.Sc., Per., Lth., Ayr., Kcb., Slk. 1964), consisting of a float to which a number of lines and hooks are attached or of a kind of spoked reel on a spindle with a handle at each end, fixed to a leather pad tied round the waist, a number of hooks and lines being attached to the spokes of the reel; a shaped piece of wood or metal attached to a fishing-line and manipulated so as to disengage the hook if it becomes entangled under water.Sc. 1834 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1864) IV. 142:
Returnin to the Loch, I thocht I wad try the otter. Sae I launched him on his steady leaden keel — twa yards lang — breadth o' beam three inches — and mountin a hunder and fifty hyucks.Lnk. 1886 J. Stewart Twa Elders 143:
The secretary thought he'd try the Brown, For illegal was the otter.Sc. 1910 Blackwood's Mag. (June) 899:
We might adapt to naval use those poaching expedients, the “cross-line” and the “otter.”
II. v. 1. As pa.p. or ppl.adj. ottered, barbed.Edb. 1735 D. Robertson S. Leith Rec. (1925) 55:
The said nails were found to be ottered or feathered in and would not be drawn out but behoved to be cut off with a file.Rxb. 1955 Abd. Univ. Review (Aut.) 154:
Fisher's guile and ottered cleik.
2. To catch fish with an otter as in n., 3. above.Sth. 1861 Vacation Tourists (F. Galton) 165:
If the gilly otters for you, he will for himself.Sc. 1890 Daily News (29 Sept.) 4:
A loch can be “ottered”, fish can thus be made shy and hard to catch.
