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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SQUATTER, v.¹, n. Also squater (Edb. 1904 E.D.D.); squather-. [′skwɑtər]

I. v. 1. intr. To flutter in water like a duck, to flounder or flap about in mud or water, to splash along (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 187; wm.Sc., Kcb. 1971). Vbl.n. squattering, a fluttering, splashing (Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xiii.).Ayr. 1785 Burns Address to Deil viii.:
Away ye squatter'd like a drake.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 224:
Three year thro' muirs an' bogs I've squattert.Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St. Patrick III. ii.:
A wee doubtsome whether ye warna a selgh or a sawmont, when ye war' squatterin' i' the loch.Sc. 1825 Scott Letters (Cent. Ed.) IX. 36:
I squatter'd through your drains like a wild duck.Lnk. 1880 P. M'Arthur Amusements 20:
Squatterin' in the cooling tide.Kcb. 1897 Crockett Lochinvar xv.:
Half a dozen sailors squattered mid-thigh in the foam and swelter of the sea.Abd. 1922 G. P. Dunbar Doric 28:
The wild deuks, squatterin' frae the seggs.

2. tr. To scatter about, squander, act with profusion (Rnf. 1825 Jam.; Ayr., Dmf. 1971).Ayr. 1873 A. Aitken Poems 8:
Meanwhile the auld man fail'd — Jack out afiel' Begude to manage, turn'd a squattrin' chiel.

3. intr. To fly in all directions, to disperse. Poss. rather an arbitrary alteration of scatter.Abd. 1878 “R. F. Bardinarus” John o' Arnha' (1882) 24:
The flail o' retribution now Like burstin' bombs did squatter.Ayr. 1969 I. and P. Opie Children's Games 136:
The rest of the players on the pavement or touchline watch while he attempts to dodge the catcher, for if he succeeds in getting across he cries . . . in New Cumnock “Squatter!” and they rush after him in a body, hoping not to be caught themselves.

II. n. 1. A spluttering, fluttering noise, a great splashing.Rnf. 1792 A. Wilson Poems (1876) II. 38:
Frae his devilish mouth the froth Flew aff wi' squatter.Sc. 1836 M. Scott Cruise Midge xx.:
And such a squatter! as a flock of a thousand teal . . . rose into the air with a loud rushing noise.

2. Transf. A large number of small creatures or objects, a disorderly confused crowd (Abd., Kcd., Ags., Slg., wm., sm. and s.Sc. 1971). Deriv. squattery, squathery, id.Uls. 1804 J. Orr Poems (1936) 33:
An unco throuither squath'ry Were we, that day.Ags. 1897 F. Mackenzie Northern Pine 49:
The red-heided tinkler wi' the marrowless legs that cam' in aboot the Glen wi' the squatter o' bairns.Ags. 1990s:
Squatter: n. a crowd. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 5:
"The shakkins o the stroup", wis fit Fergus the watchie caad Davie Littlejohn. The runt o the litter, the hinmaist o a squatter o Littlejohns fa ained a craftie ahin Mortlach. A peelie-wallie, plooky aiblich in maist fowk's een, ...