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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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).