Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1912
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
TIRR, v.3, n.3, adj. [tɪr]
I. v. To snarl, to speak in an irritable, bad-tempered way (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).
II. n. 1. A passion, a fit of bad temper or rage, an excited angry condition (Sh. 1905 E.D.D.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Sh., Ork., Dmf. 1972); a quarrel.Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 196:
There was nae reason why a mairrit pair shouldna live a' their lives withoot a tirr.
2. An irritable, quarrelsome child (Sc. 1880 Jam.).
III. adj. Bad-tempered, quarrelsome, of a passionate, irritable nature (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 157; Kcb.17 1930). Also in deriv. forms tirrie, -y, angry, enraged, quarrelsome (Ork. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 XV. 96; Sh. 1880 Jam.; Ork. 1929 Marw.).
[Orig. somewhat uncertain, poss. different words having fallen together. For I.Sc. forms cf. Norw., Dan. tirre, to tease, irritate, tirren, terren, peevish, fractious. See Tirn. The other forms may be partly imit. influenced by Tary, q.v., Tirrivee, etc.]
