Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1880-1956
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TARF, adj. Also tarff. [tɑrf]
1. Harsh, bad-tempered, rough-spoken (Ork. 1887 Jam., 1929 Marw., Ork. 1972).Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 101:
Gin every lass bees as unstowly, An' gaes her lad as tarf a prowly.Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie Benjie's Bodle 174:
Maggie wis a tarf een, an' you wadno set afore her whit sheu wadno deu.
2. Bitter, rancid in taste (Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1972).Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 96:
The mention of wormwood recalls childhood and the “tarf” morning dose.
3. Of weather: severe, intense (Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1972).
[Ork. variant of Derf, bold, severe, harsh, rough. Cf. also Norw. djerv, O.N. djarfr, bold, daring.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Tarf adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 4 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/tarf>
