Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PEEFER, v., n. Also peifer, piepher, pif(f)er, pyfer, pifyr. [′pifər, ′pɪfər]
I. v. 1. To complain in a peevish, querulous tone, to whine, “moan”, fret (Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 174; Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 152; Kcb. 1900); to droop, mope. Ppl.adj. peiferin, complaining, querulous, ailing, miserable. Hence peeferer, piferer, a whimpering, querulous person (Bwk., Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 174).Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 71:
And aye scho pifyrit, and aye scho leerit.Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 371:
Ye see yon pookit pyfering face.Kcb. 1904 Crockett Raiderland ii.:
Gin I get haud o' that loon, I'll break every bane in his peeferin' ill-set body.
2. To work in a feeble, half-hearted way, to trifle, waste time (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.). Ppl.adj. pieferin, trifling, feckless, ineffectual (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 381; Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 152).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 25:
Willie was ay but a pieferin useless body a' the days o' him.Fif. 1825 Jam.:
She's a pifferin fick-ma-fyke.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 347:
But A never wus blackguard aneuch tae abuse a puir aul' peeferin sp'yag like that.
II. n. A feckless creature, a useless blockhead (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 381, piepher; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., peifer); “a peevish, feckless person given to grumbling” (Kcb.17 1930).
[Of freq. formation, orig. prob. imit. of a weak, whining sound. Cf. Eng. piffle.]
