Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866-1955
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BUCKER, Bukker, v.2 and n.2 Also bocher.
1. v.
(1) To fuss; to move or work aimlessly and awkwardly, yet with much fuss (Bnff.2, Abd.19 1936). Vbl.n. buckerin'.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 18:
She buckert but an' ben the fleer, an' wiz in a' bodie's rod.Abd. 1928 Mains and Hilly in Abd. Wkly. Jnl. (27 Dec.) 6/3:
An' says he "That's wi' yer buckerin' an' takin' ma min' aff ma wark."
(2) To bungle, make a mess of (Bnff.2, Abd.2 1936); to put to trouble, keep one hanging about, detain with trivialities.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxiv.:
Tae picher aboot an' be bochert up here in Perth.Bch. 1929 (per Abd.1):
Ye hiv fair bucker't the makin' o that frock. I winna be able to sort it noo.
2. n.
(1) "Hurry and awkward bustle about work. One who works in an awkward manner" (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 18).
(2) A bungle, a mess (Bnff.2, Abd.9 1936).Abd.15 c.1915:
He has made a clean bucker o' it.
(3) "Vexation, annoyance" (Sc. 1911 S.D.D., bukker); "a nuisance" (Bnff.7 1927; Abd.2 1936).Abd. 1915 H. Beaton At the Back o' Benachie 114:
There's nae bucker wi' them itha road haudin's booin' an' beckin' ilka oor o' the day.Abd.(D) 1916 G. Abel Wylins fae my Wallet 60:
Ach! the weemen's been a bucker evermair.
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"Bucker v.2, n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bucker_v2_n2>
