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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

UPPER, adj., adv., n. Also uper; über (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.). Compar. uppermore (see II.), uppermaist (Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 90). Sc. forms and usages:

I. adj. 1. Combs.: (1) upper coal, see 1794 quot.; (2) upper end, jocularly, the head, “the top storey”; (3) upper leaf, in Mining: “the upper portion of a seam [of coal] which is separated by a parting into two portions” (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 69). See Leaf, 1.; (4) upper mör, the upper layers of peat in a moss (Sh. 1973). See Muir, 4.(1) Lnk. 1794 J. Naismith Agric. Cld. 36:
A number of thin strata, or seams, as they are generally called, of this valuable fossil, lye above that which is generally called, around the city of Glasgow, the upper coal; because it is the first that is found worth digging, to any extent.Dmb. 1937 Econ. Geol. Cent. Coalfield I. 133:
Twechar No. 1 Upper Coal.(2) Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 203:
He's no right i' the upper end.(4) Sh. 1904 E.D.D.:
If the moss is deep, two persons cut — the one below the other. The one that cuts on the top is said to ‘cast da upper mör,' i.e. the surface moor.

2. Freq. found in farm names to designate that section of a divided estate which is situated on the highest ground. Also in combs. as Uppertack, Upperthird, Upperton. Cf. Nether, I.Bnff. 1723 Ann. Bnff. (S.C.) I. 195:
Bracco's Uper and Neither Guishaughs.Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 118:
The first sign of his rise was putting a slate roof on his thatched cottage in imitation of “Upperlees”.Sc. 1963 N.E. Scotland 91:
The spaces in the old settlement pattern were filled with a multiplicity of small units, some of which took the name of the old township and added a prefix to indicate the different site. Easter or Wester, Nether, Mid or Upper are common all over the region.

II. adv. As in Eng. Sc. compar. uppermore, higher up, further up. Obs. in Eng. exc. dial.Sc. 1755 Scots Mag. (March) 134:
The master gives it [the mason's sign] uppermore, or moves his right hand a little farther up the left side.

II. n. In phr. to get the upper, to turn uppermost, to rise in the air, phs. short for upper hand.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 145:
Ilk fallow's heels clean gat the upper, His back-neck down upon the crupper.