Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
WHITTER, v.3, n.3 Also †qu(h)itter, whutter, and reduplic. form whitter-whatter.
I. v. 1. Of birds: to twitter, warble, chirp, utter a prolonged tremulous note (Wgt. 1974). Vbl.n. whitterin(g), qu(h)itterin (wm.Sc. 1880 Jam.).Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 226:
The sma' fowls in the shaw began to whitter in the dale.Abd. 1868 W. Shelley Wayside Flowers 178:
The whitterin' lintie tried new strains.Sc. 1934 Scotsman (21 July) 15:
The whittering or wheepling whaup is an anxious bird.
2. Of persons: to whisper, mutter, “to speak low and rapidly” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.); to chatter, gossip. Reduplic. form whitter-whatter, id.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 82:
The winking swankies whitter, An' fondly ee some female band.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 128:
By his Sunday's twa hours' whitt'r whatt'rin', He mak's puir gowks believe he's gaun to Heaven.s.Sc. 1898 E. Hamilton Mawkin iii.:
The whole bundle of you up here whittering like a pack of peiots.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 21:
A cleckeen o guidweives at a gairdeen-yett whuttert ti other whan they eyed iz.
3. intr. To flutter, to move in a light active way, to scamper, scurry, patter (Ayr. 1825 Jam.; wm.Sc. 1880 Jam.; Ayr. 1928). Vbl.n. whittering, scurrying about, “the way a modest lover haunts his mistress” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 473).Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 40:
Now Tod himsel' begins to tire, His hidey-hole he'd fain aspire, An' aff he whitters til't like fire.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 6:
The dows and daws that there aboundit, Out-whirr'd and whitter't at the sound o't.Sc. 1926 K. Parker My Ladie Dundie 103:
I heard ye come whittering up the stairs.Sc. 1936 W. Soutar Poems (1961) 103:
On whitterin wing he lichted doun.
4. tr. To whisk, to propel lightly and briskly.Sc. 1939 Sc. Educ. Jnl. (27 Oct.) 1105:
Sin he was whitter'd up to God, Wha crapp't him wi' a croun.
II. n. 1. Twittering, chirping; a low chattering noise, of birds.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1856) III. 97:
A sound like the whutter of wild-fowl on the feed.
2. Loquacity; chatter, prattle (Rxb. 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.). Phr. to haud your whitter, to be quiet, remain silent. Reduplic. form whitter-whatter, trifling conversation, tittle-tattle (Rxb. 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.); a garrulous woman (Id.).Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 50:
Hout, man, it's ablins but a clatter? What need we heed sic whitter-whatter?Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. ix.:
Let us have our ain whitter before I release you.s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws iii.:
I would counsel you, Gavin, to haud your whitter the night.
