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 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLATTER, n. Also claitter, cletter.  Sc. forms and usages of Eng. clatter. [′klɑtər]

Sc. forms:m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 26:
Up frae the rashes, heich abune the trees,
intil the lift wi eldritch skraich an cletter,Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 60:
The warl begins again wi bleary ee,
claitter o cans i the gutter,
glints o shaittered gless at the roadside,

Meanings not found in St.Eng.

1. Gossip, scandal, defamatory talk; a rumour. Often in pl. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1746 Diary Rev. J. Bisset in Spalding Club Misc. (1841) I. 372:
If I should credit the clatters of this stormy day, I should tell you that the Duke of Cumberland came to Edinburgh on Fridayes night.ne.Sc. a.1835 J. Grant Tales of the Glens (1836) 22:
I'se warren' ye he doesna ay credit the clatter o' the countra whan he's forc't to speak aboot it.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Trad. of Edb. I. 252:
[Lady Stair] declared that she had lived to a good old age, and had never till now got entangled in any clatters.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage, etc. 238:
I . . . speered if he was gaun to lea us, as the kintra clatter had it.

†2. Confidential talk.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 33:
Lovers have ay some clatter o' their ain.Rnf. a.1810 R. Tannahill Poems and Songs (1876) 361:
Gudeman, wheesht, lea this wooin wi me, An I'll fixt in a five minent's clatter.

3. A chatterer, a gossip (Sc. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.; Abd.²² 1937).Bnff.² 1943:
Tibbie wid deave ye: she's nithing bit an everlastin' clatter.

4. A blow (Abd.²² 1937).Lnk. 1923 G. Blake Mince Collop Close 273:
Gi'e her a clatter on the heid that'll finish her.

5. Phr.: in a clatter, at once, immediately (Ags.² 1937). Cf. in a clap, id., s.v. Clap, n.¹Ags. 1819 A. Balfour Campbell I. xiv.:
Send up word to Lon'on; ye'll get help in a clatter amo' your gryte friends.

6. Combs.: (1) clatterbag(s), a tale-bearer (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹ 1937; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 136, clatterbag); cf. Clashbag; (2) clatterbash, id.; (3) clatter-stoup, a chatterer, a gossip; (4) clatter-vengeance, “a talkative, gossiping person” (Abd.⁴ 1930), an appalling din, a terrifying uproar, noise and fuss; (5) clatter-wallet, idem.(1) Fif.¹⁰ 1941:
I was at schule wi' 'm an' he was aye a clatterbags.(2) Uls. 1914 St John G. Ervine Mrs Martin's Man (2nd ed.) xiii.:
“Strike you,” she exclaimed. “I wouldn't lay a finger on you, you ould clatterbash you! How dare you go about spreadin' stories.”(3) Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie II. vi.:
Whar's Leddy Sandyford, or that glaikit clatter-stoup, Flounce, her maiden?(4) Abd. 1974 F. Garry Bennygoak 43:
Jess Hedderwick raise at the income o' licht has a great clattervengeance o' soun.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 38:
Jess Hedderwick raise at the income o licht
Wi a great clattervengeance o soun.
She wis dystin her basses anent the ga'le dyke
Lang afore Tam the Milkie wan roun.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood viii.:
I'm nae clatter-vengeance to be clypin' wi' auld wives at the roadside.(5) Kcb.⁴ c.1900:
A bodie that kens ither folk's affairs better than they ken them themselves is a clatterwallet.