Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LANGOUR, n. Also -er, -(u)or; laanger; longer. Sc. usage of Eng. languor: boredom, ennui, esp. in phr. to haud or keep (somebody) out o or frae langour, to divert, amuse, keep (someone) entertained or from wearying (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1881 A. Mackie Scotticisms 57; I. and ne.Sc. 1960). Rarely in vbl.n. langerin, languishing, the state of feeling bored (see 1958 quot.). Obs. in Eng. since 16th c. [′lɑŋər]Abd. 1754 R. Forbes Jnl. from London 23:
He . . . held us browly out o' langer bi' the rod.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 215:
To bang the birr o' winter's anger, And had the hurdies out o' langer.Sc. 1812 The Scotchman 62:
Keepin me frae langor — baith lessenin the pleasour o guid, an the pine o ill companie.Ags. 1840 G. Webster Ingliston x.:
The children ought to be diverted and keepit out o' langour.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (4 Aug.):
Hit's mebbe da laanger 'at elt her [a cow].Ork. 1912 Old-Lore Misc. V. ii. 70:
Dere seem'd tae be a graet longer on him, an' he begood tae wander aboot.Sh. 1958 New Shetlander No. 47. 9:
I wis in aside old Mrs M. haddin me oot a langer (Some districts say “langerin,” others simply “haddin you.”)
Hence langersom(e), (1) boring, tedious, tiresome (Cai. 1905 County of Cai. (Horne) 77; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh., Ork., Cai. 1960); (2) tardy, but this seems due to confusion with Langsome.(1) Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 67:
I cinno' bear tae sit me leen . . . It's awfo' langersom'.Ork. 1931 Orcadian (7 May):
Hid's langersome tae meet a ald gossip an' no be able tae speer 'im gin 'e haes a mooth. Stromness! dry!(2) Sc. 1929 in W. H. Hamilton Holyrood 24:
But if his lips are lan'ersome He's quicker wi' his een.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Langour n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/langour>