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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡VOALER, n. Also voler (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 226, 1908 Jak. (1928)). In sea-taboo usage, a cat (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore, 1914 Angus Gl.). Dim. voaleri (Sh. 1968 Sc. Poetry 3 51). Also comb. voaler's-crammacks, = cat's crammacks, see Kram, n. (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.), goat-hair clouds. [′volər]

[Agent n. from Norw. dial. våla, to bawl, howl, Icel. vola, O.N. vála, to wail, sc. ‘the caterwauler'.]

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