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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPARROW, n. Also sparra (s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St. Matthew x. 29. 40; Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 34), sparray (Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 267), -ey (Lnk. 1919 G. Rae Clyde and Tweed 112), sparrie (Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 76, Bwk. 1947 W. L. Ferguson Makars' Medley 16), sparry (Ags. 1927 V. Jacob Northern Lights 7), sparroy (Fif. 1882 S. Tytler Scotch Marriages I. 151). See also Sporrow. Sc. forms and usages:

1. As in Eng. Sc. combs. and derivs. (1) sparrabaldy, (i) adj., applied to (a person having) thin legs (Bnff., Abd. 1971); (ii) n. in pl.: an epithet applied to thin legs (Ib.), a pun on Garibaldi; (2) sparrow-blastet, dumb-founded, thunderstruck. Arch. Obs. in Eng.; (3) sparrow-drift, -hail, -shot, shot for shooting small birds (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; ne.Sc., Lth., wm.Sc., Rxb. 1971); (4) sparrow-p(o)inted chisel, a chisel used in sharpening millstones, a tool used for chipping out or lowering the heart of the millstone (Edb. 1949).(2) Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxxiii.:
“Eh! megsty me! I'm sparrow-blasted!” exclaimed the Leddy.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ III. vi.:
Jesus sal be wi' me as a maughty weiriour, an' ye'll staun sparrow-blastet.(3) m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 234:
It wad need a heavier dose than sparrow-hail to gang through thae thick-skinned beggars.s.Sc. 1859 Bards of Border (Watson) 53:
Some sparrow-hail wad best despatch him.Abd. 1891 G. W. Anderson Strathbogie 172:
Twas but a dose o' sparra hail, But faith it gar't them scatter.Fif. 1894 J. W. M'Laren Tibbie and Tam 73:
Cries o' “A speech — a speech,” fell wi' nearly as sair an effect as sparrow-hail aboot his ears.

Also attrib., as in Eng. with the meaning of small, diminutive, in Sc. combs. Sparrow-doup, sparry neb.Clc. 1852 G. P. Boyd Misc. Poems 19:
Thae sma' sparry nebs o' yours.Sc. 1924 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 407:
I feel as gin I'd lo'e to swathe a swatch O' weel taurred tartan to their sparrow-doups.

2. The corn-bunting, Emberiza calandra (Hebr. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 69).