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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TIRR-WIRR, n., adj., adv., v. Also tirwir(r), tirr-wurr (Abd.); tur(r)-wur(r); ¶tirwhir; and dim. forms tirrie-wurrie, turry-wurry; tirry-mirry, -merry (Sh.); tirrie-mirrie; tirrie-virrie. [′tɪr(e)-′wɪr(e), ′tʌr(e)-′wʌr(e)]

I. n. A hubbub, commotion, disturbance (Cai. (tirry-mirry), ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1972); a noisy quarrel, a scolding-match (ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1972); a fit of ill-temper, excited mirth, wild frolic (Sh. 1905 E.D.D., Sh. 1972).Ags. 1883 J. Kennedy Poems 104:
He bore his mither's wild tirwirrs.Ayr. 1896 H. Johnston Dr Congalton xii.:
A steer begude that ended in a deevil o' a turry-wurry between man and beast.Fif. 1898 S. Tytler Mrs Carmichael's Goddesses xvi.:
Hae you heard o' the awfu' tirrievirrie last nicht?Sh. 1919 T. Manson Peat Comm. 80:
The three went off, as the P.M. said, in a “tirry-mirry.”Ags. 1967 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 43:
The domestic tur-wur that expanded out on to the pletty.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 50:
Awa he lowpit wi a skellum yelp
and the laist I saw wis the bauld pow ootsheenin
the sun itsel. I doot yon's gien him a skelp,
whuppt harns wud or they're spinnin like a peerie.
He wadna listen,
and in the auld sic a tirrie-mirrie's unco eerie. Ags. 1994 Mary McIntosh in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 149:
Jist tae lat aabody ken she wis nane pit aboot by the hale tirr-wirr. Twa can play at that gemm so I fauded my face intae quaitness an speired hoo she wis daein.

†II. adj. Growling, quarrelsome, carping, ill-natured.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
As tirwirr as a cat.

III. adv. In a state of excitement, into uproar.Sh. 1901 T. P. Ollason Mareel 61:
Dey wants no more ta set dem tirry merry atagedder.

IV. v. 1. To quarrel, wrangle or fight in a noisy way, to speak snappishly, carp (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 272; Ags., Per., Slg. 1972), to banter. Hence tirrwirrin, vbl.n., wrangling, quarrelling, bantering (Ags., Per., Slg. 1972), ppl.adj., quarrelsome, snarling like a dog (Sc. 1808 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Ags. 1883 Arbroath Guide (13 Jan.) 4:
The bairnies tirr-wirr and they fecht at their play.Ags. 1914 I. Bell Country Clash 109:
'Twas a gey trial til him, a' this exposin' o' his faimily tirr-wirrin'.Abd. 1928 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (4 Oct.) 7:
Wi' a' her tir-wirrin' Kirsty's soon' enooch at th' hert.Per. 1944 D. Forrester Logiealmond 195:
Between the Kirks there was abundant “tirr-wirring” of a good humoured sort.

2. Of wheels: to rumble, to make a dull growling sound. The form in quot. has been altered after Eng. whirr.Clc. 1860 J. Crawford Doric Lays 117:
That's surely no a coach I hear, Tirwhirrin' owre the stanes.