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 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FLAPPER, v., n.

I. v. To move in a loose, unsteady, flapping manner; to flutter noisily (Cai. 1900 E.D.D.); to flounce, flounder (Fif. 1951). Also in Eng. dial.Slk. 1832 Hogg Queer Bk. 2:
Then there was blinking on the bent, And flappering ower the purple fells.w.Sc. 1862 J. F. Campbell Tales IV. 140:
The three great flappering sails.Lth. 1882 “J. Strathesk” Blinkbonny xiii.:
It [my heart] flappert about like a fresh-run sea-troot wi' a hook in its mooth.

II. n. 1. The hen-harrier, Circus cyaneus (Cai. 1887 Harvie-Brown and Buckley Fauna of Cai. 165).

2. The squat lobster, Galathea strigosa.Bte. 1910 Zoologist (4th Ser.) XIV. 70:
If they happen to be at the surface they make a great flapping, and show well the action by which they have earned the name of “Flappers” from the fishermen.

3. Weaving: a piece of paper made up like a fan to clean the machine (Ayr. 1951). Comb.: flapper-pick, an overhead wooden picker on a lappet loom (Ib.).

4. In phr. rough flapper, the shagreen or fuller's ray, Raja fullonica.Lth. 1837 Wernerian Soc. Mem. VII. 433:
It is known to fishermen under the name of Rough Flapper, and its flesh is considered inferior as food to that of the other species of skate, it being soft and dry.

5. A large shallow hill peat, from its floppy nature (Wgt. 1963).