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: 1777-1778, 1922-1949
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EEMIR, n., v. n.Sc. form of Eng. humour. Also eemer, eemur.
I. n.
1. Mood (Abd.13 1910, Abd.9 1943).Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 120:
For there's naebody can mak' ye mair uncomfortable nor an 'oman fin she's in a kittle eemur.
Hence (1) phr. to queel one's eemirs, to assuage excited feelings; (2) eemersome, moody, changeable (Abd.27 1950), but gen. applied to a person of jolly disposition.(1) Abd.4 1929:
This 'ill queel yer eemirs tae ye — said to one tramping through snow.(2) Abd. 1949 Buchan Obs. (29 Nov.):
This evening . . . was spent in "coontin' the links o' the crook," unless there happened to be an "eemersome breet" among them to . . . suggest a game of cards.
2. An eruption of the skin (Abd.27 1948). Cf. Eng. dial. humour, id., a boil.Abd.15 1928:
It's some eemir comin' oot on him.
II. v. To humour.Abd. a.1778 in J. B. Pratt J. Fleeman (1912) 36:
Ye're wantin' out, are ye? Weel, I'se eemer you for ance.Abd. 1922 J. Wight in Swatches 63:
"Needs ye speer, Ockie?" she said, makin' up her min' tae eemir the breet.
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"Eemir n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/eemir>
