Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
WALLER, v., n. Also waaller, wallor ; weller. [′wɑlər]
I. v. 1. To wallow, lit. and fig.; to toss or thrash about like a fish on dry land (Peb., Lnk. 1825 Jam.); of the sea: to surge, heave; of the stomach: to heave, turn over with hunger.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan II. ii.:
He has been looking at the walloring o' the waters.Lnk. 1818 A. Fordyce Country Wedding 21:
Stot, stot, stot, Davie wallers i' the mud.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 188:
Mony an auld wife Wi' stamack wellerin' for a mess o' eggs.Fif. 1894 J. Menzies Our Town 106:
Grovellin' an' wallerin' in the lap o' luxury.
2. To swarm, to be alive with.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A muck-midden wallerin' wi' worms.
II. n. A confused crowd of living things, esp. when in motion (Rxb. 1825 Jam., a waller of birds, bairns, ‡1923 Watson W.-B.); a large number (Watson).s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws vii.:
I would drive a whole waller of beasts before me into Liddisdale.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 21:
A waaller o barefit getts.
