Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1718-1930, 1992
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‡SAUR, v., n. Also sa'r, sare-, sawr- Sc. forms and usages of Eng. savour. See P.L.D. §70.1. [sɑ:r, sǫ:r]
I. v. 1. intr. To have a certain taste or flavour. Obs. in Eng. Hence ppl.adj. -saured, -flavoured; vbl.n. saurin, a taste, tasting; relish, liking (Cai. 1934); a small quantity or portion (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 106:
Fresh Fish, and poor Friends become soon ill-sar'd. Spoken when we see poor Relations slighted.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads II. 169:
Your fat yow; It weel will saur wi' the gude brown yill.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 217:
Bonaparte, the French, an' invasion, Did saur in their wizens like soot.
2. intr. To smell of; tr. and fig., to smell or nose out, ferret out.Sc. 1718–21 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 14, 67:
To fill his post alake there's none . . . Cou'd sa'r Sculdudry out like John . . . Till this Time Toumond I'se indent Our Claiths of Dirt will sa'r.
II. n. 1. As in Eng. Adj. saurless, tasteless, insipid (Mry. 1825 Jam.; ‡ne.Sc., Per. 1969; Fif., Edb. 2000s). Also fig.Sc. 1725 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1976) II. 131:
Gae thy ways John Ochiltree: Hae done! it has nae sa'r wi' me.Sc. 1746 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) I. 171:
The fish would make but a very sarless morsel without butter.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 111:
Quo Lindy, "Sir, this is a sareless feast."Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 4:
The sway o'an empire were sareless and vain.Abd. 1924 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 59:
The pottage is saurless, ye've been hennie wi' the saut. A saurless smourich is an insipid kiss. Edb. 1992:
You get the saur o the bacon through the meat. [of boeuf bourguignon]
2. Fig. Wit, spirit, pluck, vivacity (Cld. 1882 Jam.). Hence sawrless, having no wit, spiritless, lacking in energy (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 147; ‡ne.Sc. 1969).Abd. c.1800 Bards Bon-Accord (Walker 1887) 323:
Senseless, sa'nless [sic] sotts. (As void o' gumption's Hottentots).Mry. 1804 R. Couper Poetry I. 150:
Sa'rless athort the rigs they spread.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 57:
I see it plainly by the saur o'her e'en.ne.Sc. 1909 G. Greig Folk Song lxxxi. 3:
A bashfu', sarless, smearless chiel.
3. A smell, aroma, specif. an evil or sickening smell (Cld. 1882 Jam.); hence a feeling of disgust or repulsion.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 80:
Now, mony a rantin feast, weel stor'd, Saurs sweetly on the rustic board.Slk. 1824 Hogg Tales (1865) 521:
A saur of reek an' brimstane about him.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 147:
He got a sawr wee that, an' geed awa.
4. A slight amount; specif. of wind, a breath, gentle breeze (Ayr. 1825 Jam.; Arg. 1936 L. McInnes Dial. S. Kintyre 12; Ayr. 1969).Arg.2 1930:
If a wee sar wad jist come aff the shore We wad soon get up tae Isle o'Ross.
