Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1789-1831, 1920-1955
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NARR, v. Also nyarr, niarr, nearr. Sc. forms of Eng. gnaw. To snarl (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl., nearr, 1923 Watson W.-B.; Uls. 1953 Traynor, nyarr; Bnff., Abd. 1963), to growl like an angry cat; fig. of persons: to be discontented or peevish, to fret (Abd. 1825 Jam., Abd. 1963, nyarr); of things: to jar on the senses. Ppl.adj., vbl.n. nyarrin, gnarring, snarling, quarrelling; also in irreg. form nyorned, peevish, obstinate (Cai. 1911 John o' Groat Jnl. (12 May)). Deriv. nyarragh, nagging, spiteful, sharp, bad-tempered. Mainly dial. in Eng. Cf. Nurr. [n(j)ɑr]Abd. 1789 Aberdeen Mag. 505:
Whan ither dogs would raise a wark, And niarr at either in the dark.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 413:
She [cat] nyarr'd when she gat him, as he had been a mouse.Uls. 1831 G. Brittaine Irishmen 194:
What's come over you, Alice, to be so sharp and nyarragh this morning?Cai.4 c.1920:
'At's a nyarrin' moniment o' a bairn.Abd. 1924 L. Coutts Caul' Nor'-East 24:
Ye beir the bell at kirk an' ha' Till ilka beauty narrs.Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (14 June):
In the mids' o' the meantime the nyarrin' an' fechtin' amon' the nieces an' ithers o' Kirsten's kin hed come till a terrible heicht.
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"Narr v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/narr>
