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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

SPIRRAN, n. An old woman, hag.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 96:
How girn'd the wizen'd spirran.
Gall. 1881 L. B. Walford Dick Netherby ii.:
The greediest, leein'st, bletherin'st auld spirran in Chris'endom.

[Orig. obscure. MacTaggart suggests the word orig. meant a spider, but there is no evidence for this.]

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"Spirran n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/spirran>

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