Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

CHAW, Chaa, Cha', v.¹ and n.¹ Also chauve (Sc. 1935 Sc. N. & Q. (Feb.) 23, chauvyin). See P.L.D. § 137. Cf. Chow, v., n.¹ [tʃɑ: Sc., but m.Sc. + tʃǫ:, s.Sc. tʃɒ:]

I. v.

1. To chew. Known to Bnff.², Abd. correspondents, Ags.², Fif.¹ (1939), (Bnff., Abd., Fif., Dmf. 2000s). Now vulgar and colloq. in Eng.ne.Sc. 1991 Ken Morrice in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 59:
Quine, gin I mould this for you,
I dae fit I can dae
wi words, ettlin tae
bake a poem wi taste and crust,
a thing tae bite
and chaw, nae saft as woo. Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 66:
Gin yer feet slip on that weet, slithery rock, ye winna chaw mair cheese.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 10:
The Meenister aye chawed chuddy. Mr Higgins telt Jimmy the Meenister hid bad braith an the chuddy keepit it fresh ... Dundee 1996 Matthew Fitt Pure Radge 9:
the keeper
chaas his chewnie
draps the ba on the flair Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems, etc. 97:
On nonsense now may chaw their cude.Uls. 1904 J. W. Byers in Victoria Coll. Mag. 41:
A woman no one can trust, and who is always at some mischief, is compared to a troublesome cow: “If she doesn't kick she will chaw claes.”

Hence chaw-bait, “the nickname given to fishermen of Rosehearty village by their coast neighbours” (Abd.¹⁶ 1939).

2. “To provoke, to vex” (Sc. 1808 Jam.); to make jealous. Known to Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Arg.¹, Lnk.³ and Kcb. correspondents (1939). Most commonly used as ppl.adj. chawed, chawt, chawn, vexed, chagrined; jealous.Bch. 1928 (per Abd.¹⁵):
I wis some sair chawn ower't.m.Sc. 1922 “O. Douglas” Ann and her Mother xxiv.:
Some folk ye wad think tak' a fair delight in tellin' ye things that chaw ye, they juist canna help bein' nesty.Slg. 1935 W. D. Cocker Further Poems 22:
Noo a's in order Ye've chawed the deil: ye're safe an' soun' Ower heaven's border.Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 90:
And syne speer'd at me what is't, And that might chaw'd ye.Arg.¹ 1932:
I wuz that chawed when he let the hoose ower ma heid efter promisin' tae let me hae't for anither year.Gsw. 1832–1846 J. D. Carrick in Whistle-Binkie (1st Series) 123:
Deacon Roset when he saw't, He left the room he was sae chawt.w.Dmf. 1915 J. L. Waugh Betty Grier 150:
I'm gettin' fair angry at the new yin hangin' oot so prominently an' skinklin' as if to chaw the ithers.

3. Phrs.: †(1) to cha' fause, “to suffer” (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems, Gl.); (2) to chaw one's words, “to speak indistinctly” (Sc. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.; Bnff.², Abd.², Abd.⁹ 1939).(1) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 29:
Gin he is gane, as doubtless but he has, He'll shortly mak us ane an' a' cha' fause.

II. n.

1. Something chewed in the mouth, i.e. a quid of tobacco. Known to Bnff.², Abd. correspondents, Ags.², Fif.¹, Edb.¹, Lnk.³ (1939); an act of chewing. Now vulgar or dial. in Eng.Abd. 1997 Courier (27 Mar):
" ... 'Gies a chaw o' yer chuddy' (Give me a chew of your chewing gum)," ...  Mearns 1844 W. Jamie Muse of the Mearns 58:
Noo, turn the chaw into your cheek, And, Charlie, tent me weel.Ags.¹⁷ 1939:
See a chaw fae ye!Uls. c.1920 J. Logan Ulster in the X-Rays (2nd ed.) vi.:
A “chew” of tobacco becomes “chow,” or “chaw.”

2. A disappointment, a snub; “a stinging rejoinder or retort” (Abd.⁷ 1925). Known to Bnff.², Abd.², Fif.¹⁰ (1939).Bnff.⁶ 1916:
The candidate gied the cheeky heckler a nesty chaw.Ags. 1930 “A. Kennedy” Orra Boughs i.:
With no life beyond this a man would never have the chaw of knowing his own mortality.Ayr. 1900 G. Douglas House with Green Shutters (1901) xvi.:
“Chaw” . . . a bitter and envious disappointment which shows itself in face and eyes.

3. Phrs.: (1) chaw throu', a toilsome attempt (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹ 1939); (2) to play a chaw on (a person), to humiliate a person by causing him envy and disappointment.(1) Abd. 1931 A. M. Williams Bundle of Yarns 37:
Sensing that I was in difficulties over a problem, he came behind me, and seeing the slate . . . covered with a long drawn-out attempt at a solution, he said, “Mercy me! Mr Double V, fatna lang chaw throu's thes?”(2) Ayr. 1900 G. Douglas House with Green Shutters (1901) xvi.:
Boys were always coming back to . . . “play a chaw” on young Gourlay by boasting their knowledge of the world, winking at each other the while to observe his grinning anger.