Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1768-1769, 1820-1900
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†DREAD(D)OUR, n. and v. Also dred(d)er, dreador, dreidour, drid(d)er, driddour, drither, druther.
1. n. Fear, dread; distrust, suspicion. Rarely in pl. Also in Cor. dial.Sc. 1820 Marmaiden of Clyde in Edb. Mag. (May) 423:
But [my steed] stude an' swat frae head to hufe, Wi' dredder an' wi' fear.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 101–102:
Now Lindy's heart is haflins in a swidder, The wild Savilians put him in sick dridder.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 70:
I hae aye my dridders yet, O' some foul wark that's in the womb o' fate.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 110:
He smiled sae sweet, an' he spak' sae fair, Nae dreidour cam' near her heart.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xi.:
I had aye a dridder that there micht be something o' that kind gaen on.Fif. 1900 "S. Tytler" Jean Keir xv.:
I had aye a drither o' the chap.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. iii.:
"It's no that I have any dreador of doing it," said Sour Plooms.Slk. 1834 Hogg Mora Campbell (1865) 305:
He . . . saw with dreadour and with doubt, A flame enkindling him about.
Phrs.: (1) to be in a druther, to be in a state of fear or anxiety; (2) to dree a (the) drither, to apprehend the consequences of a rash or wicked action (Ags. 1808 Jam. s.v. dredour).(1) Fif. 1897 "S. Tytler" Lady Jean's Son v.:
She is in a druther about who is to win the case.(2) Ags. 1820 A. Balfour Contemplation 270:
If Watty spake to ane or ither, She gart him dree a waefu' dridder.
2. v. To fear, dread; to hesitate (Ayr. 1825 Jam.2, drither).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 13:
An we hadd heal we need na dridder mair, Ye ken we winna be set down sae bare.Abd. after 1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherd (S.T.S.) l.265:
Beside, she dridder'd something 'bout her dream.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
Juist at the period when I was switherin' an' dritherin' ower the fore-mentioned considerations.
