Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1916-1923, 1988-1998
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CHORE, Char, Chorie, v., n.2 To steal (Edb., Ayr. 2000s). Watson gives the form char for ne.Rxb. [tʃo:r, tʃɑ:r]Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 140:
Mackay wis livid: "I pray tae differ. I dinnae ken ony thieves amongst them. Wi are nae sae peer that wi hae tae chore frae folks." Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 11:
"Graham Reid's the thief. I saw him chore the sweeties. Bit naebody's gaun tae believe a spikkin boolie. ... " Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 67:
Bit the braw, gowden Elgin wis gaen - reived - chored - tint. Edb. 1988:
They were going to do a Hampden Roar - chore you ken. Edb. 1991:
He chored a bag o chips. Edb. 1994 Irvine Welsh Acid House 249:
Shoplifting is a possibility, and I try to think of what I need, so I can go to the appropriate store rather than just go somewhere and chory for chorying's sake. Edb. 1995 Irvine Welsh Marabou Stork Nightmares (1996) 26:
People in the big hooses, hooses that were the same size as our block, which sixty families lived in; they would just go away and phone the polis. They must have thought we were gaunny chorie aypils or something. Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
He's been chorin' a yarrie [egg].
Vbl.n. choran, "cant term for stealing" (Abd. 1921 W. Walker W.-L.; Bwk. 1911 in Scotsman (23 Dec.)). In phr. laiks a choran (joran) (Sc. 1911 Scotsman (23 Dec.)), (see quot.). [′leks ə ′tʃorən (′dʒorən)]Abd. 1916 T.S.D.C. II.:
The laiks are the marbles placed in the ring. When the game was going badly for a boy, he might shout "laiks a choran," which permitted a general grab of the stakes.
II. n. Stolen goods (Edb., Ayr. 2000s).
