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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CANKER, Kanker, n. and v. [′kɑŋkər]

I. n. Bad temper, ill-humour (Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Ags.¹, Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³ 1938).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 21:
The bairn's eaten aff o's feet wee doonricht canker.Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 21:
Me, for canker they deride, Inquisitivity and pride.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 29:
Gin ony here wi' Canker knocks, And has na lous'd his siller pocks, Ye need na think to fleetch or cox.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimae, etc. 271:
Then I'll brew a browst for thee, Jock, Will kill thy cankers a'.

II. v., intr. and tr.

1. intr.

(1) “To fret, to become peevish or ill-humoured” (Sc. 1825 Jam.²; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 22; Abd.², Ags.¹⁷ 1938).Ags. 1867 G. W. Donald Poems, etc. 133:
What needs I canker at my lot?Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 162:
Ye wad gar ony mortal canker For to hear yer mean palaver.

Hence (a) cankersome, adj., ill-natured (Kcb.¹ 1938); (b) cankery, cankry, kankry, adj., idem (also used adverbially).(a) Ayr. publ. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage, etc. and Poems 225:
Her cousin was aft in a cankersome mood, But that hindered na Bell growing bonny an' gude.Kcb. 1894 S. R. Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet ix.:
It's juist hein' mony maisters, ilka yin mair cankersome and thrawn than another.(b) m.Sc. a.1846 A. Rodger Poems (1897) 133:
He tries to please wee crabbit Will, When in his cankriest mood.Rnf. 1791 A. Wilson Poems 160:
Right cankry to hersel' she cracket, “That wheel o' mine — the devil take it —.”Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie I. ii.:
Nae wonder ye ne'er got a man, ye cankery runt, wi' your red neb and your tinkler tongue.Ayr. 1834 Galt Lit. Life III. 36:
Bauldy was fashed with the lumbagos in his rumple bone, which made the ringing of the kirk-bell a sore job to the kankry auld man.

(2) Of weather: to become stormy (Bnff.² 1938).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 22:
The weather's gain' to canker (or canker up).

(3) Of plants: to become covered with blight (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹, Kcb.¹ 1938).Abd. 1903 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (22 Aug.):
Th' neeps are some stiff, bit aw think they'll come t' b' a fair crap gin they dinna canker ower sair.

2. tr.

(1) To put into a bad temper (Bnff.², Abd.⁹ 1938). Ppl.adj. cankerin.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 21:
Gehn ye dee that, ye'll canker 'im a' thegeether.Ayr. 1816 Sir A. Boswell Poet. Works (1871) 164:
Crack follow'd crack, the cap gaed roun, That mony a cankerin thought cou'd drown.

(2) (See quot.)Ork. 1701 J. Brand Descr. Orkney, Zetland, etc. 8:
A strong Gale together with great Rains, which caused a rolling and a swelling sea (for Rains here without winds do raise, or canker (as they term it) the Sea, and much more when Wind and Rain come on at once).