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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.

DOTTER, v. and n. Also †dottar, dotther (Uls.). Cf. Doiter.

1. v. To walk unsteadily, to stagger; to shake, nod (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.; Uls.² 1929, dotter). Ppl.adj. dotterin'. Also in Eng. dial. ¶Used tr. in second quot.Sc. 1724 in Ramsay Evergreen I. 213:
In brief ther, with Grief ther I dottard owre on Sleip.Sc. a.1813 A. Murray Hist. Eur. Langs. (1823) I. 455:
He dottered my hand, is he shook it by a little push.Per. 1900 E.D.D.:
Auld Jock Tamson's gettin frail an' dotters at every other step.Gall. 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 17:
For when that I come to the bank, Or dottren owre yon dirty stank.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 113:
Willie dottart by himsel Among the hens.w.Dmf. 1921 J. L. Waugh Heroes 17:
Gee up, you daverin', dotterin' auld fule.

Hence (1) dotterin' Davie, “a spinning-top that jumps about as it spins” (Ags.¹⁷ 1940); (2) dotthery, unsteady, bemused from drink; enfeebled in mind, senile (Bnff., Dmb., Rnf., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s).(2) wm.Sc. 1998 Alan Warner The Sopranos (1999) 177:
Aye, family from hell right enough, but ah tell you, Manda's dottery.Uls. 1901 A. M'Ilroy in North. Whig:
When a man is not drunk but on the way thereto he is said to “have a drap in” Or to be “a bit dotthery.”

2. n. A stagger, a stumbling movement.Per. 1900 E.D.D.:
Tam Sinclair's taen sic a tout that he canna gang without a dotter.Uls. 1922 “Lynn Doyle” Lobster Salad 37:
“Look at it,” sez he, makin' a dotther towards her, an' thrippin' over a wee stool.