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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

YAP, v.¹, n.¹ Also yaap, yaup, yawp; japp (Jak.); yepp (Sh.). Sc. forms and usage of Eng. yap, to bark, yelp, a yelp. [jɑp]

I. v. 1. To cry shrilly, to scream, to whimper, of a child (Sc. 1825 Jam.), to chirp in a plaintive manner, of birds (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Gall. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), japp; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh., Cai. 1974).Slk. a.1800 Hogg Poems (1865) 92:
At the door the chickens yaupit.Wgt. 1885 G. Fraser Poems 150:
Each craw that dared tae yaup sae nigh.Lnk. a.1888 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) XI. 71:
Mair mither-like to stay and shield Your yaupin' things.Slg. 1898 J. M. Slimmon Dead Planet 109:
Thy helpless yaupin' littlins cry Their hunger to the wild and die.Kcb. 1911 Crockett Smugglers x.:
Paul Wester saw the circling yawping birds swoop and settle.

Hence yaup, -it, n., the blue tit, Parus caeruleus (Cld. 1825 Jam.; Rnf. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 34).Lnk. 1877 W. McHutchison Poems 107:
The wee blue yaup shook its restless wings.

2. To speak in a chattering, nagging or querulous way, to harp on (Uls. 1924 Northern Whig (4 Jan.); Ork. 1929 Marw.). Ppl.adj. yauping, peevish, ill-natured (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 213. 343:
He's yawping ay a yammering sang. . . . She yawps like a peany.Sc. 1876 S. R. Whitehead Daft Davie 126:
I was that wearied with my mother's constant yaup yauping close to my ears.Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken xxxiv.:
Gin ye gang yaupin' an' skirlin' out there.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (28 April):
What's wrang we dem noo? I toucht dey wir yappit anough.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 61:
The wife crie't oot in a yaupin voice.Arg. 1923 H. Foulis Hurricane Jack 51:
Wha are ye yappin' at noo?

3. To speak in an affected manner, applied esp. to English speakers or to Scots who ape them (Abd., Ags., Lth., sm., s.Sc. 1974).Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 157:
What's that yin yawpin' at: he haes surely got a crack in the lug wi' a Carlisle biscuit.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 157:
The Annandale folk haes the yawpin kin o' speakin' in a heich key yt the English haes.Hdg. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 272:
Hoo little mak's ye Southrons yaup!Abd. 1913 D. Scott Hum. Sc. Stories 84:
He yappit awa' in his floo'ry English.

II. n. 1. The call or scream of a bird in distress (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 496, yawp); the plaintive chirping of chickens (Uls. 1929; Wgt. 1974).Sc. 1879 W. Black Macleod of Dare ix.:
The eagle uttered a succession of shrill yawps.

2. Incessant talking, gen. implying nagging, querulousness. Gen.Sc.Slk. 1835 Hogg Tales (1874) 588:
Haud the yaup o' thee, thou little imp!Ayr. a.1878 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 189:
The Troker heard the body's yaup, As gorhawks listen to a whaup.Bnff. 1963 Banffshire Advert. (4 April) 10:
“Suppose ee hud yer yap,” she gritted.

3. A chatterbox, someone who talks interminably in an affected manner, a windbag. Gen.Sc.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 138:
Godfrey nodded as if this did not surprise him. "Ezekiel wur niver whit thoo wid call a yap, an' likely he will say less than iver fae he turned intae a ghost. Wur he lukkin' weel?"

4. As in Eng., a bark or yelp (m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xxi.); a yelping, shrilly barking dog (n.Sc., em., wm.Sc. 1974), dim. yappie, a puppy. Now only dial. in Eng.; a snap, of a dog attempting to bite.Sh. 1892 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 76:
Aald “Cerby” for me med a yepp.Ags. 1951 C. Sellars Open the Westport 351:
When she was a wee bit yappie.