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.
Quotation dates: 1892-1897
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RIVATWARIE, n. Also rivatwari, revatwir(r)ie, reevatwarrie (Sh.12 1894).
1. A tool for boring holes, an auger, esp. an improvised one.Sh. 1892 Manson's Sh. Almanac:
Wee noo hauls in wir fastie, an mends da sail wi revatwiries, an set it upon er.
2. A large nail (Sh.12 1894). Comb. rivatwarie-splenchin, id. (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). See Plenshin.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (4 Sept.):
I took fower rivatwari splenshens 'at I got oot a piece o' a wrak ship.
3. Fig.: a shell-fish with a spiral-shaped shell (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.).
[Appar. ad. Norw. dial. riva, a rake, + tvare, an auger or borer. Cf. Norw. dial. rivenavar, a tool for boring holes into which to set the teeth of a wooden rake.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Rivatwarie n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/rivatwarie>
