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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WUNNER, n., v., adv. Also wonner (Kcd. 1796 J. Burness Thrummy Cap (1819) 276; Abd. 1847 W. Thom Poems 153; Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 226; Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 25; m.Sc. 1933 J. Ressich Thir Braw Days 30), woner (Abd. 1836 J. Grant Tales of the Glens 39; Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 163; Nai. 1927 G. Bain Dauvid Main 90); ¶wooner (Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton xii.); winner (Bnff. 1890 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 56, 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 29, ne.Sc. 1974), winder (Sc. 1709 Hist. MSS. Comm. Report (Mar and Kellie MSS.) 414; Per. 1879 R. M. Fergusson Village Poet 180; Sh. 1897 Shetland News (15 May); Edb. 1931 E. Albert Herrin' Jennie 164; Ags. 1945 Scots Mag. (April) 42, Sh., Cai. 1974). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. wonder (Abd. 1861 J. Davidson Poems 18; Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 295; Kcb. 1913 A. Anderson Later Poems 229; Slg. 1935 W. D. Cocker Further Poems 22). See P.L.D. §§ 60.1., 64. [′wʌn(d)ər, ′wɪn(d)ər]

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 12:
Its [sic] a wunner they didnae jump oot the windae!

Phrs. and derivs.: (1) a warld's wunner, see Warld; (2) for a wonder, remarkably, strangely; (3) not for a wonder, not even as a rarity;  (4) wunnerfu, wonner-, winner-, -fa, winder-, -fil, (i) adj., wonderful; extraordinary, very great. Gen.Sc. Superl. wunnerfust; (ii) adv., wonderfully, remarkably. Also in Eng. dial.; (5) wondersome, (i) adj., wondering, full of wonder; (ii) adv., = (3)(ii) (wm., sm.Sc. 1974). Also in Eng. dial.(2) Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 11:
Katie, who had been waiting for me at the gate, gave me a look that would have sunk the Queen Mary when I came out. But she said nothing - for a wonder.Sh. 1994 Laureen Johnson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 168:
For a winder, shö didna tell me ta steer clear o Bobby Johnson. His fock, of coorse, wis wir guid neebors an kirk-gyaain fock laek hersell, an he never swör or took muckle drink at shö kent o.(3)Fif. 1805 Session Papers, Cleghorn v. Dempster (17 Dee.) 34:
The rabbits were not nearly so numerous, and “one was not to be seen for a wonder”.(4) (i) Sc. 1863 J. Brown Horae Subs. (1882) 334:
‘Whaur are ye gaun?' ‘Oo, I'm gaun to Dowfintoun, wi' joost the wunnerfust pig ever was piggit.'Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 49:
Hid was sae winderfu tae see the atfares o the mither selkie.Abd. 1884 D. Grant Keckleton 63:
Ye're a wonnerfu' man for learnin'.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe xxii.:
She is wunnerfu' noo.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Tales 243:
Dere's a weight apo me most winderfil.Ags. 1921 D. H. Edwards Fisher Folks 15:
Referring to the mysterious mathematics by which shell-fish build up their exquisite spirals — “their winderfu' whorls doon there in the pools below the rocks.”ne.Sc. 1952 John R. Allan North-East Lowlands of Scotland (1974) 187:
"She was a woman of the maist wonderfu power. ... " Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 33:
"My, Tam," she enthused, "is yin Humphrey Bogart no winderfil? Dis thoo ken, I think I wid rether hiv him than Errol Flynn yet. ... " Abd. 1953 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 121:
It has a wunnerfu' effect on the nerves.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 58:
Ither weel-meanin bodies
Jump oot frae ahin the curtains
Wi a speenfu o English pheesic
Tae purge the Scots spikker
O aa orra idioms,
Aa non-standard spikks
An Tom Leonard winnerfu wordies.(ii) Ayr. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 84:
They're maistly wonderfu' contented.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xxx.:
An ettling man, who had been wonderful prosperous in the spirit line.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 49:
Sandy got on winderfu'.Edb. 1900 E. H. Strain Elmslie's Drag-Net 29:
We prospered won'erfu' weel at the commencement.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 13:
The aul fock are winnerfu' canty.(5) (i) Ags. 1869 R. Leighton Poems 353:
He will look up wi' a wondersome air.(ii) Kcb. 1903 Crockett Banner of Blue xiii.:
A wondersome lucky lass was Mistress Veronica.

2. Contemptuously, of persons, etc.: a nasty, unpleasant, mischievous or insignificant creature (Cai. 1905 E.D.D., a witless wunner; n.Sc. 1974).Ayr. 1786 Burns To a Louse ii.:
Ye ugly, creepan, blastet wonner, Detested, shunn'd, by saunt an' sinner.Dmf. 1830 Carlyle in Froude Early Life (1882) II. 117:
Men are but poor spindle-shanked whiffling wonners, when you clutch them through the mass of drapery they wear.Bnff. 1881 W. M. Philip K. Macintosh's Scholars xviii.:
Tak' that, ye ill-fashioned wonner, for your impidence.Abd. 1930 Abd. Univ. Mag. (March) 109:
Onything he diz ull she pits intull 'im, naisty gley't wunner.

II. v. As in Eng. 1. Used refl., to be surprised (Cai. 1974).Cai.⁹ 1946:
A wonder me that 'ee wad dae a thing lek 'at, I am surprised.

2. Used in neg. conditional expressions with but what = Eng. I, you, etc. shouldn't be surprised if . . . (I., ne.Sc., wm.Sc. 1974).Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. I. 53:
As I'm subject ta brooncaidies I widna winder bit what I'll be laid up.Bnff. 1963 Banffshire Advert. (13 June) 8:
I widna winner bit fut the Tories'll git a gey fleg at the neisht election.

III. adv. Wondrously, marvellously, surprisingly. Liter. Obs. in Eng. from the 16th c.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 45:
Thae Teeth of your's gang wonder quick.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 172:
O lady, I heard a wee horn toot, And it blew wonder clear.Knr. 1895 H. Haliburton Dunbar 106:
Ye keep your tryst sae wonder weel.

Also in arch. use to form adj. combs. in wonner-feck, wonderfully effective, powerful (see Feck, n.¹), wonner-wide, wonner-wyss (Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms (1877) Intro. 1, xxv. 11, xxii. heading).