Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1812-1953
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WHINNER, v., n. Also whun(n)er; whinder (Sh.). [′ʍɪn(d)ər, ′ʍʌnər]
I. v. 1. To whizz, to whistle through the air; to move quickly (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.). Ppl.adj. whinnerin', in phr. a whinnerin' drouth, a severe drought which causes corn, etc., to rustle in the wind (Cld. 1825 Jam.).Ags. a.1823 G. Beattie Poems (1882) 187:
Goblins whinnert thro' the air.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 86:
The pith o' meikle banes Sends whunnering up the rink the channel stanes.Ags. 1852 Montrose Standard (9 Jan.) 7:
Noo they mak' signs by a lang streekit wire. The news whinner a' gate in twa score an' twal'.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxx.:
We set to mark what we could whinner.Sc. 1935 W. Soutar Poems in Sc. 24:
The deid sterns ane be ane Whunner by like flauchts frae a cleckin-stane.
2. With at: to go at with might and main, hammer at, "to strike with force so as to cause a loud noise" (Sc. 1825 Jam., whunner; Sh. 1974).Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick III. iv.:
A gatherin' o' the Pehts whunnerin' at the dyke wi' a' their birr.
3. To whine, speak in a thin tremulous voice. Ppl.adj. whinnerin, grumbling, peevish (Dmf. 1920).Dmf. 1866 Carlyle Reminisc. (1881) II. 212:
Poor whinnering old moneyed women.
II. n. 1. A whizzing sound, the noise made by rapid flight or motion (n.Sc., Lth., Gall. (whunner), Dmf. 1825 Jam.).Ags. 1821 J. Ross Peep at Parnasus 17:
In whirlwind's whinner she could twist!
2. A whining, wailing, whimpering sound.Sc. a.1832 J. W. Carlyle Letters (Froude 1883) I. 202:
Some such plaintive melody, which after a brief attempt to render itself 'predominant', 'dies away into unintelligible whinner'.
3. A crash, clatter; (the sound of) a heavy fall (Dmf. 1825 Jam.), "a rough disagreeable noise" (Sh., Ork. 1974).Fif. 1812 W. Ranken Poems 31:
Gray slates cam wi' mony a whuner.Kcb.4 1900:
I cam doon wi' an awfu' whunner.
4. A resounding blow, a whack, wallop (n.Sc., Lth., Gall., Dmf. 1825 Jam.; I.Sc. 1974); a box on the ear, a buffet (Dmf. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1962, whinder).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 268:
At last the beggars clear'd the field, For wha could stan' their whunners?Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 110:
Ciss! cat, ciss! Th'u's get a whinner!Sh. 1953 New Shetlander No. 35. 32:
He lifted his neive an' he landed me flyin' A whinder 'at runged troo da ribs ower me hert.
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"Whinner v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/whinner>
