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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CHACKART, CHACKERT, Chakart, Chackie, n. [′tʃɑkərt]

1. A name applied to several birds of allied species, e.g. stonechat, Pratincola rubicota (Mry.¹ 1925; Bch. 1825 Jam.², chackart, chackie); whinchat, Pratincola rubetra (Bnff. 1898 E.D.D.), and more rarely to the ring-ouzel, Turdus torquatus. Known to Bnff.², Abd. correspondents, Lnk.³ 1939. Also dim. chackertie, a stonechat (Mry.¹ 1925). Cf. Chack, n.⁵Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 10:
Fell Death . . . Trail't him aff i' his dauk car, As dead's a chackart.

Combs.: (1) aiten-chackart (see quot.); (2) steen-chackart, -chackert, the wheatear (Bnff.² 1939; Abd. 1855 W. Macgillivray Nat. Hist. of Dee Side 200, -chackart).(1) Abd. 1855 W. Macgillivray Nat. Hist. of Dee Side 200:
Because they are often found in places where Juniper, called Aiten, is abundant, [ring-ouzels] are in all this district [Upper Deeside] called Aiten-chackarts.(2) Abd.(D) 1920 C. Murray In the Country Places 2:
But when loupin' the dyke a steen-chackert flew oot, An' he huntit a fyle for her nest.

2. A term of endearment or of affectionate reproof (Bnff.², Abd.² 1939).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 24:
Sic a dear chackart o' a lassie.Abd.⁷ 1925:
“Nae cheek fae chackerts” is an injunction given to pert children; and “chackerts are aye cheepin'” is said to children who murmur or complain.

3. “An eavesdropper” (Abd.⁴ 1929, chakart, chackert). Cf. superstition (common in old ballads) of birds being able to understand human speech and carry messages, and note also colloq. Eng. “a little bird told me.”