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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DONNER, v. Also don(n)ar, †donnor, †donder, daun(n)er, dannar, dunner, dunder. To daze, stun, stupefy. Gen. in ppl.adj. = dull, dazed, stupid, and often used of persons whose mental faculties are blunted by age (Ayr. 1825 Jam.², dannard;  Fif., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s donnert; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., dundered). Also in n.Eng. dial. Gen.Sc. Also used substantivally = a fool, blockhead.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 22:
Daffin and want of wit makes auld wives donnard.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel ii.:
I got a lick that donnerit me from a lefthanded lighterman.Sc. 1912 P.M'N.T. in Scotsman (19 Jan.):
A youth ringing a cracked half-crown piece on a shop counter said it was “a' richt,” but it had a “donnert sort o' dingle” about it — not a clear or distinct sound.Sc. 2000 Herald 16 Sep 18:
Biblical retribution has wance mair dunnert us; the warnins o global warmin haenae been heedit an mair nor half the country's floodit. n.Sc. 1916 M. Maclean Roving Celt 15:
I'm grey an' auld an' donnert noo — ma fower score years an' twa Hae boo't the back.m.Sc. 1954 J. D. Scott The End of an Old Song (1990) 54:
' ... But I'm getting to be a donnert auld bodie. You know what that means? It means an old person whose wits are wandering, you know.'em.Sc. 1986 Ian Rankin The Flood 148:
"... You can't keep anything like that hidden from Matt Duncan. I'm too fly for them, you see. They think I'm dunnert." Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 141:
Tak' a horn O' my rare highland whisky. 'Tis no the damag'd heady gear. That donnar, dose, or daver.Slg. 1932 W. D. Cocker Poems 137:
Dod aye! I'm fair dunner't, an' think it nae shame.m.Lth. 1788 J. Macaulay Poems 151:
Thou lazy, slounging, donart sot!Bwk. 1947 W. L. Ferguson Makar's Medley 57:
For I'm auld, and that donnart, and sune I'll be deid.Rnf. a.1810 R. Tannahill Poems (1876) 362:
But the daunert bodie's gran'faither's wig Was pu't aff on the door by a splinter.Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 60:
A've no come across sumdy as donnert as him. I've never met anyone so stupid.Lnk. 1881 A. Wardrop J. Mathison's Courtship, etc. 33:
If you're no a donart, ye micht easy ken that Johnnie an' Kirsty are ower yonder tae.Lnk. 1887 A. Wardrop Mid-Cauther Fair 13:
Hooch! here we are, deil tak' me, dondered ass.Dmf. 1810 R. H. Cromek Remains 75:
The donnort bodie croon'd right lowne.Dmf. 2000 Betty Tindal Old Mortality 13:
Ah grant that at first glence he micht hae lookit a wee bit donnert. Slk. 1999 Jules Horne in Moira Burgess and Donny O'Rourke New Writing Scotland 17: Friends and Kangaroos 59:
So this man gets nearer. Jane goes, maybe he's got lost? I go, must be gy donnert as all the shops and that are down the hill.

Hence (1) donnartness, stupidity (Sc. 1825 Jam.²); (2) ¶donneration, a “stunning” amount.(1) Sc.(E) 1913 H.P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. iii.:
Oh, graun' donnertness tae mislippen things whilk are usefu' an' necessar.(2) Sc. 1824 Blackwood's Mag. (Nov.) 592:
Even Scott — would ony mortal believe there was sic a donneration of arrogance in this waurld?