A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1678
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Dirdum, n. [Northern ME. (once) durdan. Current in later northern Eng. dial. as dirdam, durdom, etc.]
1. Uproar, tumultuous noise. a1500 Doug. King Hart 877.
Than rais ther meikle dirdum and deray 1535 Stewart 133.
Thairfoir lat be thi dirdum and thi din, And grant my asking now 1647 Bk. Pasquils 152.
Ye make such dirdum and such din, With putting out and putting in
2. Dirdum dardum, used contemptuously. 15.. Christis Kirk 67.
He chesit ane flane as did affeir him, The tother said dirdum dardum
3. Result of uproar or fuss. 1678 Lauderdale P. III. 126.
He sayed he uas convinced all the party's worke uas lyk our Scot[is]he proverbe, ‘Mekill dine & littill dirdume’ 1678 Ib. III. 147.
In the Scots proverbe, they had maed mikill dine bot had little dirdum
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"Dirdum n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/dirdum>
