Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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YIRM, v., n. Also ye(a)rm, yairm (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); yarm; ¶irm (Sc. 1887 Jam.). [jɪrm, jɛrm]

I. v. 1. To whine, wail, of an animal (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), most commonly in a transf. sense, of human beings: to complain, keep talking querulously, harp on about something, to nag, beg importunately (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; s.Sc. 1974). Vbl.n. yirmin, complaining, whining, and in comb. yermin-fond, very anxious, extremely eager (Bwk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 222), see Fond, adj.Slk. 1831 Hogg Poems (1874) 367:
They yermit and flaitte a summer's day Of what was to be done.Sc. 1834 Tait's Mag. (Aug.) 494:
Our Radical yirming, and yirping, and discontent.Clc. 1860 J. Crawford Doric Lays 31:
I hear a yirmin' i' the blast! — 'Let in a wander'd bairn!'Lnk. 1893 J. Crawford Sc. Verses 72:
Sae dinna let us yirm or fret.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 107:
Whit's the maitter wi' ye, Jimmock? Wull this yirmin' never cease?Rxb. 1969:
Did ee ever see sic a wumin? She's aye yirm, yirm, yirmin' on aboot something.

2. To chirp, cry, or sing, of a bird or insect (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 501).Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 112:
The cushies aye yirm 'Coo-coo!'Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 26:
Craiks are yirmin'.

II. n. A wailing, querulous sound. Comb. death-yirm, the wheezing of a dying person, the death-rattle.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 22:
The death-yirm gethers in my throat.Lnk., Gall. 1882 Jam. s.v. yurn:
Yurn and yurm are applied to the whimpering fretfulness of a sickly child.