Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DIVERT, n. An entertainment, amusement (Bwk. 1825 Jam.²); an amusing person or thing. Gen.Sc. [dɪ′vɛrt]Sc. 1948 E. Milne in Scots Mag. (Aug.) 344:
I can tell ye, the whole affair was a rare divert.Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 66:
Lat 'er see the horsie noo, to be some divert till 'er.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 19:
To watch ye is a richt divert,
Ma een as by a lodesteen draan.
Siccar ye grip me, an I'm thraan
To turn to my ain thochts, to pairt
Fae you.Ags. 1932 J. M. Barrie Julie Logan 12:
They little understand that I may have been making a quiet study of them while they thought that I was the divert.Per. 1921 J. Ferguson Dark Geraldine 58:
I'll introduce you. He's a fair divert.Gsw. 1832–46 W. Miller in Whistle-Binkie, Songs of the Nursery (1846) 21:
For in his quiet turns, siccan questions he'll speir: — How the moon can stick up in the sky that's sae clear? What gars the wind blaw? and whar frae comes the rain? He's a perfect divert — he's a wonderfu' wean.Gall. 1933 “Dee” in Gallov. Annual 90:
Aweel, she'll be a gran' divert for them a'.